Special Moments
by Sentinel07
Summary: At Garreg Mach Monastery, it's the little moments that make it all worthwhile. Same holds true for a teacher and student learning to be comfortable around each other. As time flows, they'll come to understand just how much they mean to each other. Light fluff at first.
1. Special Moments

**Hi there everyone! Yeah surprise surprise, I'm not dead. Losing the drive of written fanfiction tends to do that to you. But at least for now, I am back with a little more writing.**

**And to get back in the swing of things, I figured it was finally time to write about my all-time favorite gaming franchise. Funny that it took me years to actually do so. :D**

**Now, this little story is very much improved, and didn't really have much of a set focus. It's more or less an excuse for me to write about characters I like from Fire Emblem: Three Houses, which is nice given it's got pretty much one of the best casts of characters in the franchise in my humble opinion. Byleth and Bernadetta get the start off since she happens to be my favorite character in the game. Hope you all enjoy it for what it's worth.**

**Now, let's BEGIN!**

* * *

_**Special Moments**_

**Fodlan Imperial Year 1180, Day 13 of the Verdant Rain Moon**

" Hm hm-hm-hm...la la la la...la la la... "

Bernadetta hummed as she happily made her way down to the greenhouse of Garreg Mach Monastery. At this time of day, it was pretty much always empty, as the caretaker usually only came around at certain intervals. This made it a perfect place for some alone time outside of her room. Even with her disposition, she couldn't spend all day in there. It got kind of stuffy after a while. Thankfully, the greenhouse offered its own comforts. A nice place to do as she pleased like work on her crafts or even just to sing a little. Heck, she'd sleep there if she could.

It had been just a few days ago that she elected, of her own will which surprised even her, to join the Golden Deer house under Professor Byleth. Despite being the newest professor, Byleth had already been well accepted by the students. Heck, pretty much all three houses liked and appreciated the guy, so much so that Bernadetta wasn't even the first one outside of the Golden Deer house to accept being taught by him. Both Ashe and Sylvain of the Blue Lions house had done the same. Bernadetta could still remember the rush in her chest as she asked him, only to feel joyous relief when he accepted, giving an extremely small smile that was more or less the extent of how much he could express visually. In any case, it truly made her a lot happier, as she had come to appreciate the mostly stoic man's presence. The two of them had gotten a chance to know each other a little better a couple months ago, after she had helped give someone a mini tour of the Monastery. It was the first real chance for the two to talk outside of the occasional activity. It had started well enough with Bernadetta expressing how thankful she was in her usual shy way, only to run off once Byleth revealed he was aware of her "activities", such as he greenhouse escapades and sniping food from the kitchen at night.

"Well, this time there's no one around," Bernadetta smiled, taking in all the varieties of plants housed there. "I can draw in perfect harmony!"

Of all her hobbies, of which there were many, today she decided it was a good day to do some illustrations. Be it writing, drawing, music, or embroidery, she did enough to express herself in such ways. One would be able to guess that from all the fabric thrown about in her room as well as the teddy bear she made herself. In any case, that was enough of that. She had her spot and peace of mind. Time to get writing!

"Okay so...what to draw today?" Bernadetta tapped her pen against her chin in thought before looking at the plants. "You won't judge me, right?"

"Who won't judge you?" a male voice spoke,

"AHH, w-when could you talk?!" Bernadetta immediately jumped, thinking it came from the plant in front of her. However, it only took a look behind her to realize the truth. "Oh, P-Professor!"

"I had a feeling you'd be here," Byleth said simply, giving that tiny smile again before bringing out a few sheets of paper. "You left your ballista calculations assignment in the classroom."

"O-Oh...right," Bernadetta nodded meekly as she took the papers, mentally berating herself. This stuff was especially important for an archer like herself. _'Stupid! Moron! Totally incompetent! Who forgets their own classwork?!'_

Perhaps Byleth sensed her distress, given previous interactions. "I'm not mad at all Bernadetta. Just be a little more careful next time."

"S-Sure, thanks," Bernadetta blushed a little, partially out of embarrassment but mostly out of relief.

With that out of the way, Byleth took a moment to observe what Bernadetta had brought with her. "Doing a little portrait?"

"K-Kind of. I just like to...do illustrations sometimes," Bernadetta replied. "They're nothing special."

"Well I wouldn't mind seeing one if you want," Byleth said calmly before staring a bit at Bernadetta, a gaze she didn't miss.

"W-What is it Professor?" she began to shake a little, the professor's silence only worsening her paranoia. "I-I did something else badly right? Just say it!"

Byleth was snapped out of his brain by the girl's slightly raised voice. Guess he got caught up in his thoughts and inadvertently stared at her intently. He could swear Sothis was slapping her forehead right now and calling him out on his lack of tact.

"No, it's not that," Byleth assured her. "Rather...I'm just really glad you joined our class. Truth be told, I had hoped you would."

"You did?!" Bernadetta squeaked out before getting her voice back to normal. "But why me?"

"I think you have a lot of potential. Your archery skills are some of the best I've seen around the students. Speaking truthfully, I'd say you're ahead of everyone else in that regard," he smiled a little. "Plus, since you joined, I've seen your overall grades improve. I'm proud of you."

Bernadetta's face was about as red as a Zanado fruit by the time he stopped talking. That was frankly more praise than she was capable of processing in such a short period of time. It sounded hard to believe honestly. Yet, whenever Byleth spoke, it was typically his true thoughts. One thing all the students noticed was that Byleth wasn't the type to hide how he thought. He was almost _too_ blunt.

"T-Thanks Professor..." Bernadetta turned her blushing face away from Byleth. She wondered if she'd burst into flames with how she felt right now. "Um...d-did you need anything else?"

"That was all the business I had. I'll leave you to your illustrations," Byleth nodded before beginning to turn away. "You are aware of our house's mission for this month, correct? Be sure you're well prepared."

Oh that's right. The mission for the Golden Deer this month was to subdue a former noble who stole a Hero's Relic. Quite a troubling situation since it was Sylvain's older brother. One could only wonder how he was taking it especially since he was now in the house assigned to deal with it. Heck, perhaps that played a role in him wanting in at all.

"S-Sure...see you professor," Bernadetta said as she heard him begin to step away, turning back to her attempted illustrations. As awkward as it was, she was happy he came to talk to her for a bit, even if it was mostly on business.

"Oh, by the way, Linhardt actually told me about your painting from the other day," Byleth said good-heartedly. "That's why I'd like to see it."

At those words, Bernadetta turned as stiff as stone. Wait, the reason Byleth wanted to see her illustrations was because Linhardt told him?! What else did he tell him?! She was right! He really did hate her work and now Byleth surely was too! How could she draw now?! In the advent of this, Bernadetta gripped her head and began running thrashing about wildly.

"Ahh! Stupid Bernie! Worthless! Unmarriageable! Your drawings ain't worth dirt! Never draw again! AUGGGGGHHHHHH!"

Byleth was thankfully out of earshot of Bernadetta's screaming, though that probably had less to do with distance than it had to do with the verbal lashing he was getting in his head.

**"What kind of talk was that?!"** spoke Sothis indignantly. **"Do you have any idea how to talk to a girl?!"**

"You know it's not that easy," sighed Byleth. "Personal stuff is hard for me. I'm still getting used to the idea of getting along with these students."

**"Well you might want to figure that out soon. You'll never get anywhere if you begin to calm up every time a girl talks to you,"** Sothis sighed. **"By the stars above, if I had a body, I would show you the proper way to greet a lady."**

And here came another of Sothis' lectures. Seemed like the eccentric entity had become more expressive herself. Byleth just sighed as he was forced to listen to her ramble on. Still, he was truthful in hoping that Bernadetta could open up to him soon. He made it a goal to reach out to all of his students in any way he could, and Bernadetta seemed like she would be one of the especially harder ones to crack. That wouldn't stop him though.

* * *

**Fodlan Imperial Year 1180, Day 8 of the Wyvern Moon**

_"Ahh, that hurts daddy!" Bernadetta cried out as the little 8-year old squirmed against the bonds on her wrists._

_"QUIET!" shouted her father, Count Reginald von Varley. "You are to be silent for the rest of the day. Not a word. Not a peep. Otherwise you know what'll happen."_

_The little girl immediately held in whatever cried she had at the time, cowering under the towering gaze of her father. Just the other night, she had overheard her father speaking to her mother, talking about stuff like making sure she was suitable for marriage. Suffice to say, she didn't understand a lot of it but whatever it was, it hurt a lot. She barely made it through half an hour before she made an inadvertent yelp as the ties around her wrists rubbed against her skin. The look she got from her father was one that could kill._

_And such a thing continued, for days upon days until they turned into months and years. Until such a time when Bernadetta resisted so much she hurt herself, resigned to just being in her room forever._

Bernadetta sighed, reliving those memories again. Times of before she was "taken" to the Monastery came to her frequently, getting to a point where she didn't really bother reacting too much. Presently, she was sitting in class, haphazardly writing stuff down. Sitting next to her was Lysithea, and suffice to say that the academy's youngest student was perplexed at the purple-haired girl's grumbling.

"Is there something you need to say?" Lysithea asked, sternly though not in anger. "It'd be better for you to just say something rather than grumble to yourself."

"Ahh! Oh, y-you didn't hear anything did you?" Bernadetta perked up in surprise.

"You were grumbling so fast that I couldn't make anything out," Lysithea spoke plainly. "Honestly, it's none of my business but I'd like to ask that you try not to distract the rest of us."

"Sorry..." Bernadetta sighed. The white-haired mage had a pretty sharp tongue, though she wasn't exactly wrong. Bernadetta really did wish she could handle this stuff better.

In any case, the familiar jingle of the bell meant class was over. Everyone was studying overtime in preparation for the Battle of the Eagle and Lion taking place at the end of the month. Everyone was going to give it their all, though frankly Bernadetta just hoped there'd be a fort to hide in. They had those right? At least she wouldn't have to worry about her father coming to see, as the teachers had already assured her that it wouldn't be the case.

Before she could leave though, Byleth had walked up to her, getting her attention.

"W-What do you need, Professor?" Bernadetta squeaked a bit. "I-Is this because I got that question wrong?!"

"Quite the contrary," Byleth said, assuring her. "Actually I was thinking of helping out in the kitchen and wondered if you'd like to join me."

Bernadetta's face perked up at that. Byleth actually helped out in numerous facilities all over the Monastery. It was a wonder he had time to get it all done in all honesty. Helping out in the kitchen was something he did from time to time as well, though Ashe had joined him more often than not, and maybe Mercedes. The two of them didn't have many chances together, having only done it once before. To be able to do it again actually filled her with hope.

"S-Sure, of course!" she spoke out perhaps a little too loudly, getting a little smile from Byleth while her face turned red.

Byleth lead the way towards the dining hall with Bernadetta close behind. Truth be told, Byleth had been thinking a lot as well. The two of them recently had another talk, and with it Bernadetta was finally able to tell Byleth about how she came to the Monastery and what her life was like before it. The normally stoic professor admittedly got quite conflicted upon hearing what the girl went through, and how her father induced horrible things upon her just to make her a "suitable wife". The very idea of someone doing that to their child was inexcusable, certain not something he could ever imagine Jeralt being capable of. It certainly explained the girls overly paranoid nature and why every time she opened her mouth she feared some sort of retaliation.

All the same though, it did make him feel like they came a little closer together, with him understanding so much of where she came from and how she came to be. The two shared a rather touching moment after her story.

Sadly he hadn't gotten much time to talk with her again outside of that one time, especially with all the recent misfortunes that had happened over the last few months. Thankfully however, things had winded down for a bit and most were enjoying looking forward to the Battle of the Eagle and Lion as opposed to some other conspiracy. Even the fishing tournament Seteth set up went a fair way to making most calm down after such events. As a matter of fact...

"Woah! T-There's so much fish?!" Bernadetta cried out at all the storage. "Everyone caught this many?!"

"I think we all got a little carried away," Byleth smiled slightly at it all.

"I realized there were a lot of fish meals of late...but I didn't think it was this much," Bernadetta replied, still in awe.

"That's why I wanted to help with the cooks being so overwhelmed," said Byleth. "Think you're up for it?"

"Sure. I'll show you my cooking talent."

To Byleth's surprise, Bernadetta immediately took charge cooking up the fish, much faster than he thought to be honest. Heck she was going around as if she was a natural, a rarity for her. Perhaps too much of a natural though as she got a little sensitive with him looking at her work, stating "No peeking!". He kept to himself after that, though the little bemused smile didn't go away. It was one of the few times where it seemed like she wasn't being restricted by her past. It wasn't long before they had all they needed to to help out.

"That was rather amazing," Byleth praised.

"Oh...it's nothing," Bernadetta smiled sheepishly. "It may be a little surprising but I enjoy cooking, probably since I often ate when no one was around back home."

"Well I was certainly impressed either way," Byleth nodded. As concerned as he felt regarding the reasons why she was really so experienced at cooking among other things, the fact that she seemed to take confidence in these aspects assured him. "Perhaps I should recommend you stay here rather than be in your room."

"Hey! Don't tease me like that!" Bernadetta's face went red. "There's no privacy here!"

Byleth smiled a bit, giving a slight hint of a chuckle which only made Bernadetta all the more flustered. Well, there was progress at the very least. Getting the girl more comfortable could only lead to good things, both on and off the battlefield.

"Bernadetta..." Byleth started as they began to walk out. "I meant what I said before. Thanks for telling me about your past before."

Bernadetta clamped up a little, much like she did before. "I still don't see why you're so nice to me. Bad things are going to happen eventually. That's just how things are."

"Because I don't think you're as bad as you say you are," Byleth replied, putting his hand on her shoulder. "I'm going to be relying on you a lot, and I think you'll do great."

Bernadetta's face went red again as Byleth went onward to socialize with some of the other students. As much as she felt her usual fear kicking in, there was a warm sensation at Byleth's words. One of the few times someone said they were relying on her.

But for now, it was getting a little too crowded around here for her taste. Time to book it back to her room!

* * *

**Fodlan Imperial Year 1180, Day 12 of the Ethereal Moon**

Bernadetta couldn't quite figure out why Byleth was calling her out here. Byleth said he just wanted to invite her to tea, though her usual paranoia made her question as to whether or not there was a trick to it. And yet, there seemed to be nothing to it. It was just a little private time between the two of them, which helped to make her at least a little more comfortable. Even more so when it was revealed he got them some Albeinean Berry Blend which happened to be a favorite of hers. Seriously, how was it that Byleth seemed to know the favorites of just about every student. Even the other professors didn't know that.

"Feeling a little better now?" Byleth smiled a little.

"Yes, much. Thanks," Bernadetta smiled a little as she put her tea down, observing her surroundings. "This is a pretty nice place. All peaceful and quiet."

"Of course," Byleth laughed a little. "I've found this to be my favorite spot to sit down and relax a bit."

"I can see why. I should have brought my sewing kit," Bernadetta giggled slightly.

"I hear you've been getting some praise for that," Byleth noted. "Leonie's been going around showing the stitching you made for her."

"What?! When did you...oh of course you did..." Bernadetta panicked a little before sighing. Of course Leonie would do that. The girl wore every emotion she had on her sleeve. "It was just...something I wanted to do for her after I saw her working with it all torn up."

"She seems to especially like that design you put on it. A hornet was it?" Byleth smiled.

"Hey I thought it was fitting," Bernadetta smiled back. "I'd put a design on yours too if I had the chance." It took a second for what she just said to register in her brain before her face went red. "A-Ah I didn't mean I want your clothes to get torn!"

"Easy Bernadetta. I understand," Byleth smiled again. "From what I hear, you've actually been interacting with the others a lot more of late. I'm happy to hear that."

"Uh I wouldn't call it all good," Bernadetta shivered a little. "Hubert tracked me down and freaked me out to much I froze in place."

Byleth couldn't exactly blame her. No one would want to see Edelgard's stone-faced retainer in a dark alley. Still, most of Bernadetta's other news seemed to be pretty positive. She got along decently with Petra despite running into a sticky hunting situation. Raphael happened to hear her practicing playing the trumpet earlier and was being a source of encouragement. Caspar apparently kidnapped her and took her to a nice place to cheer her up, which she was hesitant to experience again. Ingrid apparently knocked down her door just to get her out of her room. Oh, and Felix apparently wanted her to teach her some secret technique.

"I don't even know what he's talking about!" Bernadetta nearly yelled.

"That's Felix all right," Byleth sighed, thinking of the Fraldarius heir's eccentricities regarding swordplay. "Still, sounds like you're getting along."

"Yeah, it's been a little better," Bernadetta smiled a little. "Dorothea actually had a nice talk with me regarding some of the problems I had been having. It's...nice to confide in people sometimes."

"I agree," Byleth smiled, before thinking of something else. "I also noticed you talking to Yuri earlier."

The mention of that name actually made Bernadetta freeze a bit, that usual fear coming back into her face. Immediately, Byleth wondered what might have happened between the two of them.

"He...um...well..." she stammered a bit. "He...kind of made things...really awkward..."

Byleth wondered what she could have meant by that, but let it slide for now. The Ashen Wolves leader was as unpredictable as they came.

"Well, still," Byleth smiled at her after she finished talking, which made her heart skip a beat. "You've come pretty far this year."

Truthfully, she had come a long way. Both in the Monastery as well as the battlefield. Heck, she was already one of the more accomplished archers among his students. Ashe and Ignatz couldn't really compare. Sure she was still in her room most of the time, but her interactions with others seemed to be improving. Well most of them anyway.

"T-Thanks...honestly it's mostly because of you that I've actually been able to get out a little more," Bernadetta smiled. "Well, you and Alois at least."

"Oh? Now that I didn't know," Byleth replied.

"Yeah, he kind of reminds me of my uncle so he's been rather easy to talk to as well," Bernadetta nodded.

"Huh, so that's why I've seen him smiling even more of late," chuckled Byleth, thinking of the eccentric knight. "I'm starting to think he's kind of been pushing us of late."

"What was that?" Bernadetta asked at Byleth's grumbling.

"Oh, it's nothing," Byleth said, before reaching down behind him, pulling out a little something. "By the way, I got you something at the market."

Bernadetta's eyes lit up at what he pulled out. It was a new kind of armored stuffed bear that she hadn't seen before. Just looking at it gave her so many ideas on how to add some cute stuff to it. It was absolutely adorable.

"For me? Really?" Bernadetta pointed to herself a bit.

"Happy Birthday Bernadetta," Byleth smiled.

Bernadetta could have slapped herself at that moment. It was THAT day?! Guess she must have lost count after everything that had been going on of late. She was 18 years old now. Imagine that. Blushing wildly, she accepted the present.

"T-Thanks professor," she smiled. Okay, this definitely had to count among one of her favorite moments ever.

Byleth smiled as well as she took it. He wasn't sure how much longer he was going to see her as well as the other students with graduation being just a few months away. Others had wondered if he'd stick around any longer. Guess he had a while to figure that out. And besides, helping Bernadetta out had helped with some of his own problems, like that he didn't just have his father to lean on anymore. This girl had become precious to him, perhaps even more so than many of the other students. Oh would Claude have a laugh with that if he got word of this.

Still, it was a great feeling all the same.

"By the way, I'm considering making you our representative in the White Heron Cup," Byleth said casually as he sipped his tea again.

And that promptly got Bernadetta sputtering words out faster than she could think them up.

"What?! B-But I've never done such a thing or even been to a ball before!" she cried out. "Please professor! Anyone but Bernie!"

Byleth's chuckle could be heard from anywhere nearby, as well as Bernadetta's own exclamations. Yes, the more things changed the more things stayed the same. Still, progress was progress, and that was all Byleth could ask for right now.

Besides, given what the Gatekeeper had told him about the Goddess Tower on the night of the ball, he had a certain girl on his mind. Who knows, maybe she thought the same.

* * *

**And there you go! Hopefully you all liked it for what it was worth. There will be a 2nd part to this, which will be during the timeskip. Hopefully the relationship with Byleth and Bernadetta is done decently here. Despite Romance being one of the genres I put for this, it's more light fluff than anything else. Gotta start somewhere since it's not my specialty. :)**

**As you might have been able to see, this story basically uses Golden Deer/Verdant Wind as the chosen house as that is my favorite story in the game. Frankly, I may use that as the basis for most Three Houses fics I do as I just like that house a lot. Who knows though. I might be flexible depending on how I decide to move forward.**

**For the most part, these little moments work alongside the supports from the game itself so those of you who have played the game may get more out of it. Oh, and on a small notice, I improvised a little in regards to Bernie's dad since he never actually appeared in the game nor did he even have a stated name (still wish the game had a Paralogue where Bernie got to fight him).**

**Once I finish the 2nd part to this, I'm not sure what I'll do. I might continue focusing on other characters if I feel like it. Part of me feels like doing a slice of life story featuring stories on all the students as I feel the Monastery lends itself well to that sort of thing. If anyone cares, feel free to let me know. :)**

**In any case, thank you all for your time and I'll see you again soon. For the first time in years, this is Sentinel07 signing out!**


	2. Grief and Comfort

**Hello everyone! It's little old me back again. :)**

**Well, last time I said that the next chapter would move into the timeskip. Well, apparently not, because some other pre-timeskip ideas came about and I just had to write about them. A little helpful reviewer perhaps inspired it a little. You know who you are. ;)**

**You'll also notice that instead of there being multiple moments throughout the year like last chapter, this one has just one. Yeah, that's what happens when I run with a single moment too much and it somehow expands into its own chapter. Oh well, can't complain I suppose. Gives it gives me the chance to be more in-depth.**

**In any case, little else to say. Thank you everyone who reviewed, followed, and favorited. You are all awesome. Made me glad to finally write for this great franchise.**

**Anyway, BEGIN!**

* * *

_**Grief and Comfort**_

**Fodlan Imperial Year 1180, Day 11 of the Guardian Moon**

Saint Seiros Day. Given that it was the day of Saint Seiros' birth as well as that of Archbishop Rhea herself, you could call it one of the more important holidays celebrated across Fodlan. And yet, there admittedly wasn't as much cheer as one would expect, especially at Garreg Mach Monastery. Oh there were still the usual occurrences for such an event and they went on as they normally did. However, the events of a couple weeks ago were still fresh in everyone's minds, with everyone taking their own way of dealing with it. Byleth in particular was taking it really hard.

Jeralt Eisner, the Blade Breaker, Former Captain of the Knights of Seiros, beloved father and friend: murdered by one everyone believed to be an ally. Emotions ranged from sadness, to anger, to confusion, and just about any in between at how such a thing could happen following what was a joyous occasion just days prior.

Being Jeralt's child, Byleth had of course received condolences of all kinds. Leonie was nearly in tears as she talked with him, as was Alois. Mercedes and Marianne offered to pray with him during the day's choir sessions. Hilda, in a rare occurrence, actually didn't ask anything of him and even took some books he was carrying to the classroom. Raphael shared some of this food, Linhardt actually didn't talk his ear off about Crests, Annette and Mercedes baked some treats, Lorenz and Ferdinand swore there would be payback for this, and so on and so forth. For the most part, Claude had minded his own business, which some had interpreted as being kind of rude, but Byleth didn't take any offense. Claude had his own way of expressing himself and the former mercenary could tell he was just as conflicted in his own way.

Classes had continued in their own way, but many were pitching in to help them run smoother for the time being. As of right now, with very little else to do, Byleth was in the arena, taking turns sparring with Caspar and Petra. The two had joined just before the Golden Deer's last mission, so the idea of their first mission as part of the house ending in such a manner struck a nerve with both. Byleth appreciated both of them taking the time, as he did with everyone that had been so supportive.

"Phew...you still have toughness, professor," Petra took a deep breath as she lowered her training sword. "I still can't land one blow."

"You're impressive yourself, Petra," Byleth smiled a little. "No matter what I tried, you kept going. You're very resourceful."

"And got the stamina of an ox," Caspar finally spoke up. "You guys kept going on for half an hour. My bouts didn't get nearly that long."

"You could stand to think about your defenses," said Byleth. "Petra's a good example to follow. She's quick to cover any potential weakness."

"In Brigid, weakness means death," said Petra with a little pride. "Wild beasts attack however they can. Must always be ready."

"Sheesh, always being that alert must take serious skill," Caspar put a hand to his head. "I'm not too good at that stuff."

"Perhaps I should have Petra be your sparring instructor," Byleth replied, knowing just how to push Caspar's buttons. "If she can get Bernadetta to improve, surely she can help you too."

"That is wondrous idea!" Petra smiled before turning to Caspar. "I get Caspar in shape."

Caspar's face paled to a shade Byleth hadn't seen since the time he saw Caspar talking with Dorothea. "Oh no no no no no no! I object! I prefer living!" he nearly shouted, before a rare thoughtful look adorned his face. "Come to think of it professor, do you know where Bernadetta is?"

"Hmm? Not in her room?" Byleth raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

"Well...I was walking by the rooms earlier and I saw her door a little open," Caspar recounted. "Now I swear I wasn't doing anything creepy but...I couldn't resist just seeing what that was about, and she wasn't there."

Bernadetta not in the her room? Voluntarily? Now that was a rare occurrence if he had ever seen one. Come to think of it, Byleth hadn't spoken with Bernadetta much of late. Their last real talk was in the Goddess Tower after the ball, and the girl hadn't spoken to Byleth at all since the mission. She got to class thankfully enough but didn't stay long afterwards and would just head back to her room after grabbing some food. He wondered what was up with that. Maybe she was taking things hard as well? Perhaps he should try to talk with her. Admittedly, he had really missed talking with the young Varley heir. Their talk in the Goddess Tower really felt like he had a connection with her on some level that surpassed the others in some way. He wasn't sure what that was exactly, but he didn't have time to dwell on it. Still, there was no time like the present, and he had sparred with the two of them long enough.

"I see. Perhaps I should go find her," Byleth said as he began to turn. "Thank you for both of your time."

"It was nothing, professor," Caspar smiled, some of his usual vigor returning. "We'll keep training until we get back at those guys!"

Smiling a little more in thanks, Byleth took his leave of the two of them. Caspar sighed himself, rolling his shoulder a bit as he began to leave too, until Petra grabbed him.

"What the hell, Petra?!" he cried out.

"You heard the professor," Petra smiled. "I train you. I promise to be good teacher."

"Ah hell..."

* * *

Leaving the arena behind, Byleth went out to search for his purple-haired student. He began asking around if anyone had seen her. To his surprise, quite a few saw her but not many got to talk to her. Annette overheard her singing to herself and wanted to ask about it but the girl ran off before she could say anything. Ingrid saw her with a thread and needle but then she kept shaking her head. Edelgard happened to notice her just outside the Monastery walls in one of the flower fields, though the girl ran out of sight after hearing her presence. Oh, and Ignatz apparently saw her briefly in the dining hall.

Byleth's head was kind of going in circles. Who would think Bernadetta of all people would have him on a wild goose chase. Thankfully, Seteth was the one who mercifully ended it.

"Oh her? I just happened to see her heading for the cemetery," he replied. "She seemed pretty nervous though. She might still be wandering there."

After thanking Seteth, Byleth headed back down to the ground level, making another turn before reaching the eastern parts of the Monastery. Getting through the knight's quarters, he finally saw a speck of purple in the distance. It was Bernadetta without a doubt, and she seemed to be hovering around the top of the stairs leading down into the cemetery. Her back was to Byleth, but he couldn't see her hands like she was carrying something. Well, his own curiosity was too much to ignore so he approached the door, who seemed occupied enough to not hear his footsteps.

"Bernadetta?" he said simply.

"EEK!" the girl cried out, jumping a good foot in the air before turning around, hands behind her back. "P-Professor! W-What are you doing here?!"

"I could ask you the same thing," Byleth replied, gesturing to her back. "What do you have there?"

"I-I have...w-what I mean is...ohhh..." Bernadetta groaned, before pulling what she had out. "Sorry I just...nothing else felt right..."

In her hands were a nice little bouquet of flowers. Given Byleth had been helping out in the greenhouse a lot, he recognized them as forget-me-nots, though these looked considerably different. Different color for that matter. It was only the style of the flower that gave away what type it was. It was beautiful though, an almost silvery blue with violet highlights all throughout.

"Amazing. I don't believe I've seen flowers like these," Byleth said out of genuine surprise.

"T-These are...well...Livian forget-me-nots," Bernadetta spoke softly. "I...actually found a few outside the Monastery. They usually don't grow this high up so I was surprised. There's...actually many of these back home in Varley."

"Oh?" Byleth asked, very much intrigued now.

"Well, there's a system of little rivers called the Livian rivers that cut through the Varley region. These flowers grow in great numbers along the banks," Bernadetta explained, actually being very coherent. "The rivers originate from Garreg Mach, so they were believed to be the goddess' work. Oh, and uh, they even became a part of our emblem back home."

Byleth offered a small smile. A pretty sweet story coming from her. He wondered if even she realized how talkative she was being right now. Well, it was probably best to keep it going before she takes notice and clamps up again.

"And...uh...well...I saw them and thought maybe Captain Jeralt would like them," Bernadetta said solemnly. "I wanted to do something but I just couldn't figure out what to do. I thought about maybe singing or sewing something. Maybe even a treat, but nothing felt right."

Well that explained everyone else's story at the least. So that's why Bernadetta was jumping from place to place. Probably the most amount of exercise she had ever gotten outside of training. The thought of it all brought an honest to good smile from Byleth, perhaps the first real one in days.

"I think it's perfect Bernie," he said, her perking up at the use of her nickname. "Why don't we go together then?"

"T-Together? U-Uh..sure," Bernadetta blushed heavily.

The duo went down the steps heading down to the Monastery's cemetery. The newly added grave for Jeralt was at the end, fittingly next to that of Byleth's late mother. He actually mentioned that along the way.

"Your mom worked for the Church?" Bernadetta asked in surprise.

"It was a surprise for me as well," Byleth nodded. "I had no idea who she was honestly. Father never told me. He never talked much about things before we came here. He had more than a few nice words about my mother though. That she was wonderful in a lot of ways."

"Oh, that sounds nice," Bernadetta smiled a little, before looking down. "I wish my mother was more like that. She's not a terrible person per se, but she didn't help me with my father. She works in the capital, and spends a lot of time there. Actually, a lot of people call her a genius."

"Is she?" Byleth asked.

"I wouldn't know. She didn't really help raise me much in my later childhood," Bernadetta looked down gloomily. "The only thing she ever did for me of late was send me here."

"Well, I'd call that a blessing in disguise," Byleth said, small smile still present. "I think everyone appreciates having you here."

Bernadetta wasn't quite sure she believed that, though she didn't dislike the sentiment. All the same though, the two of them approached Jeralt's grave together, and Bernadetta got down to place the flowers respectfully, offering a little prayer all the same. Byleth knelled down alongside her, eyes fixated on the grave. Honestly, it reminded him of just how little he truly did know about his father, and how much he wished he had more time. With how much he had begun to open up over the past year, maybe they could have had some true father-son time together. Instead, fate dealt a cruel hand in the worst of ways, where not even time could save them.

Bernadetta was just coming out of her prayer when she felt a trembling next to her. She turned her head to see Byleth's hand trembling. His body was as still as usual, but that one movement betrayed how he was feeling underneath. Like that day in the rain, Byleth could feel the sting of tears beginning to fall from his eyes, nothing to distract him this time from the onslaught of memories.

"Professor," Bernadetta said softly.

Who knows if Byleth meant to do it, but right then, his right arm extended out to gently hold Bernadetta closer to him, as if begging for some form of relief. The girl yelped slightly but couldn't move away after seeing her mentor's face. It was only then that she felt a lone tear following down her cheek as well. She didn't move, just closing her eyes gently as Byleth kept them there in that position, no sounds but the wind overhead. Feelings were still a largely unusual thing for Byleth, but this one act brought with it some level of warmth. It wasn't like that day in the rain when he had to shoulder Jeralt's death alone.

**"I'm always here for you too. No matter what, you're never alone." **echoed Sothis' voice, lacking any sarcasm.

That was true. Whether it was his students, fellow teachers, the girl on the throne, there were others who shared this pain with him. Those who made this much more bearable than it would have been otherwise. It made Byleth all the more grateful for them all, that he came to know them, especially the young girl currently in his arm grieving with him.

"Thanks Bernadetta," he sincerely smiled. "Forgive me but I needed that."

"It's...no problem," Bernadetta smiled a little, a little rosy blush on her cheeks. "It...it was nice actually."

Right then, in a surprising move for her, Bernadetta actually took one of the many flowers she had brought, slowly moving it towards Byleth.

"H-Here. Why don't you have one?" she blushed. "I'm...sure Jeralt wouldn't mind you having one."

Byleth's eyes widened a little at the gesture, before smiling as he took the little flower in his hand. Come to think of it, Jeralt mentioned once about how Byleth's mother would just glow up whenever he brought home a new flower for her. Funny how such a thing already felt nostalgic for something he only learned about not all that long ago. Although, Byleth looked from the flower to Bernadetta's face, flushed with anticipation. At that, he smiled a little, taking his other hand and bending the flower slightly. Bernadetta was really confused at this action, and even more so at what Byleth did next.

Which was to tuck the little flower in her hair next to her ear.

"How about you hold on to it for me?" he asked with a smile still. "I think it looks better on you than me."

The shade of red that slowly flooded Bernadetta's face got to the point where Byleth swore steam was coming out of her ears. Just like that, she rushed to her feet, giving out a very hasty good bye, though not before thanking Byleth for his time. Before he could even give an answer, Bernadetta had already run up the stairs and out of sight. Honestly, Byleth couldn't help but chuckle a little. That's Bernadetta for you, a real sweetheart if you can get her before she panics. And really, he had come to appreciate that from her.

He turned back to Jeralt's grave, actually feeling like he could face it with a little smile did.

"It'll probably still hurt for a while, but I'll keep moving, father," he said. "You're probably giving me that know-it-all look right now, aren't you?"

No matter what, he could move forward with the people at his side. He could spend this time grieving, but soon it would be back to work, starting with making sure those who did this got what was coming to them. He knew Jeralt wouldn't take to him nothing nothing. He had these students who all looked up to him after all. Jeralt would probably tell him to get his ass in gear. Oh, and probably remind him to find someone to give that ring to most likely.

Well, there certainly would be time to figure that stuff out in the far future. Right now he just hoped he didn't scar Bernadetta too much with his little action. Still, he didn't regret it. For what it was worth, the flower suited her.

Rising to his feet, Byleth began to walk away, tackling the day with a refreshed mindset.

* * *

Bernadetta had rushed back to her room, panting heavily as she shut the door. Her heart felt like it was going to burst out of her chest, going through one of the most exhilarating moments of her short life. The action had caught her so off guard and her brain just couldn't comprehend it. Heck, it still couldn't. Byleth couldn't have meant all that right?

Still, passing by the mirror in her room, she got a good look at the flower in her hair. Admittedly, it did kind of look pretty, and the fact that it was from her professor of all people actually kind of made her feel good about it, kind of like that stuffed bear he gave her for her birthday. Seriously, for someone who had a pretty serious face most of the time, he could be surprisingly affectionate without even really trying. In any case though, it made her days of thinking of something to honor Jeralt feel worth it in the end.

To be honest, part of her wanted to return Byleth's one-armed hug from before, but perhaps it was best to take baby steps. That sort of contact was unfamiliar to her, though it didn't feel unwelcome. Maybe...maybe next time she could return the favor. Yeah, next time she could do it.

"This was a good day," she smiled, sitting down on her bed. Mission was a success and now she could get back to her hobbies.

However, there was another thought that just came to mind. Didn't they have a ballista calculations test tomorrow? Which placed higher expectations on her because she was an archer? Which...she had also not studied for since she just spent the last few days on her little errand?

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

The sound echoed through her room and probably through the surrounding area. It was loud enough that Edelgard actually trembled slightly from it.

"What in the world was that?" she asked.

"Sounded like something dying," chuckled Hubert. "Or more accurately, the sound of imminent failure."

* * *

As Byleth left the cemetery, not once had he realized he and Bernadetta had an audience.

"Oh that was so adorable!" squealed Hilda. "I swear, my heart skipped a beat when he gave her that flower."

"The professor is quite smooth when he wants to be," Dorothea laughed a little. "And Bern's reaction was priceless."

"They seem like a good match," Hilda smiled. "He seemed much happier in her company. Makes me glad too. I couldn't really find the words to help him after everything."

"I agree. Just seeing them happy makes me happy too," smiled Annette, the third member of their little group. "We should all do our best to do the same."

"Could someone explain why I'm here at all?" asked a very grumpy Lysithea. "This is a waste of time."

Truth be told, the trio of girls had grabbed the white-haired mage on their way after hearing Byleth was looking for Bernadetta. It wasn't like she was doing anything important anyway.

"Oh come on Lysithea! Doesn't such a moment stir up emotion in your heart?" asked Dorothea.

"I've got better things to do than talk about something so illogical. Now if you'll excuse me," Lysithea turned and began to walk away. "Still, it's good the professor is happy again."

* * *

**And that's the end of that. This is what happens when writing gets away from me. :D**

**If I have to be honest, that moment in the game where Bernadetta is standing outside the cemetery is one of my favorite moments in the game. I mean, here most of the characters are giving condolences and little Bernadetta, the recluse of all people, is out there going to put flowers on Jeralt's grave. It's one of those little character moments that I appreciate about her so much, and why I think she actually grows as a character decently well through the game.**

**Still, I enjoyed trying to add some things of my own. Three Houses has some of the best worldbuilding in the franchise (perhaps even the best depending on your perspective) so getting to add a little bit of my own to that felt nice. I know next to nothing about flower symbolism so I just made up whatever sounded nice. I think it worked out one way or another.**

**In any case, hope you all enjoy. Not sure if the next chapter will get past the timeskip. There might be one more pre-timeskip before that. We'll see.**

**And with that, Sentinel07, signing out!**


	3. Trust

**Hello one and all! I am back with another chapter!**

**I suppose not a whole lot to say before this next one. I do appreciate all who have followed and favorited this story thus far. You all are awesome. Those few who have reviewed are especially awesome. :)**

**So yeah...guess that's really all. Time for some more special moments. Feel free to read the author's note at the bottom for some things I'd like to say.**

**And as usual, I don't own Fire Emblem.**

**LET"S BEGIN!**

* * *

_**Trust**_

**Imperial Year 1180, Day 6 of the Pegasus Moon**

Barely a few days had passed since the battle with Kronya and Solon ended. One would think that would bring some finality and closure to those most emotionally tied to the situation. And for sure, some did feel a little lighter going through daily life as things were settling back into ordinary schoolwork. Yet, Byleth couldn't bring himself to feel the same. Of course, there were many things on his mind, particularly that not all of their enemies were gone. There was that other man present at Jeralt's death, like this "Thales" guy Solon mentioned. Still, that was secondary to something more alarming, something he had a constant reminder of every day.

The light green hair he could see on his visage in the mirror each day served to remind him of what had happened, what had been lost. Sothis's voice didn't ring in his ears, telling him to get up already or to check his teacher's notes or any of her usual quips. Nope, just silence, and nothing to distract him from what had happened. His own carelessness allowed him to get caught in Solon's trap, making Sothis give herself up. While Byleth got all the stronger for it, his mind could only dwell on what it cost. The mystery girl had become one of his closest friends, figuratively and literally. The first person he really had much of a bond with outside of his dad, someone he had hoped would be around for much longer. Now there was no voice in his head. The adrenaline he felt upon receiving the power back then had faded, leaving the professor with a sort-of emptiness unlike any other he had felt.

Not to mention, there was what he had learned about her, that she was indeed the goddess of old. That only added more questions than answers, but he knew for sure that she was the goddess. Being granted the power of Divine Pulse a while ago paled in comparison to what he felt now, and that alarmed him too. It truly was an immense power, one he wasn't sure he was truly worthy of.

For a while, he had tried to perform his usual duties, and that had gone off without any hitch. However, it didn't take long for him to notice how others were taking his change. Everyone in his house had seen him rip himself out of that dark spell, and that along with his different appearance was more to suggest something had changed. Some students were being more cautious, while others were more excited. Petra, Raphael, and especially Flayn seemed overjoyed at what Byleth's new appearance might mean. Annette and Mercedes seemed like they were taking even more pity on him now though than they were a month ago. Claude had been the only one he had confined much in, and even then the wily leader of the Golden Deer seemed to be in deep thought every time. Even more so when it was revealed they would be going to the Holy Tomb as this month's assignment. Claude seemed especially occupied following that, trying to connect everything that was going on.

However, there was someone in particular he wanted to meet. Bernadetta had been there with him when he was grieving Jeralt's death, and he hadn't talked with her since then. Of course, her getting out of her room was never common, but he noticed she had been absent for both classes and training of late. Heck, he never saw her in the dining hall either. Given how they connected earlier, he hoped she would come out again, if nothing else just to talk like they had done before. That would cheer him up at least. Perhaps he could even confide in her some of the things he couldn't bring himself to tell most of the other students.

"Bernadetta? You there?" he knocked on her door.

* * *

Bernadetta's stomach growled for the umpteenth time that day. How many days had she just stayed in here now? Close to a week? The only time she had ever left was just to relieve herself. Other than that, she had just stayed in there, doing her usual hobbies. She had actually been writing something of late, something that seemed to distinctly remind her of her professor in all honesty. Upon hearing the knock, she nearly jumped.

"Ah! Who's there now?!" she cried out. It wouldn't the first time someone came by today. Ingrid had tried to force her out earlier.

"It's me, Bernadetta," Byleth said a little hopefully, not off-put in the slightest by her tone. "I wanted to see if you'd like to come out and talk."

Bernadetta's heart stopped for a second. She hadn't spoken to Byleth since the last assignment. She thought back to how much she hoped he would return during that battle, a sentiment shared by everyone else at the time. And like everyone else, she was overjoyed at his return. However, there was a different vibe around him. He had always been strong, but now it was like he possessed this incredible aura. The power he wielded against Solon felt like something out of this world, and even after returning to the Monastery, that feeling didn't subside. She wasn't sure how she felt about it, only that it felt alien to her, and then her instincts took over and she hid herself away.

"U-Uh, n-no thanks!" she cried out. "I don't really feel like going out. Even going out to eat feels too much right now."

Byleth cocked an eyebrow at that statement.

"Really? Because I'm sure we can find something," he said. "Right now they've got-"

"No no! I-I'm not going anywhere!" she interrupted him. "I-It's...uh...got nothing to do with your, um, changes!"

Byleth's eyes widened at that. Perhaps part of him shouldn't have been surprised given how it usually takes Bernadetta time to get acclimated to anything, but after the bond they had forged, he had hoped they were past that. At the very least, he had hoped she wouldn't treat him much differently and that he could confide in her of all people. He wanted to try again to convince her, but after that, he felt like he couldn't say another word.

Bernadetta could hear his footsteps disappear, meaning he had left. She wasn't lying about what she said. The changes honestly terrified her on some level. And yet, as she tried to get back to her writing, she found that not another word was coming to mind. She sighed, looking rather dejected at what she just said to Byleth. Bad things just always seemed to happen whenever she got involved. Not feeling in the mood to write anymore, she just walked over and laid in her bed.

"Why am I always such a coward?" she cried, going facefirst into her pillow, feeling horrible about not wanting to confront the one person she had truly connected with over these past few months.

* * *

And as the days went by, little about the situation changed. Byleth did his lectures as usual, going back to a full workload after the other professors helped out in the previous month. That being said, his mood didn't improve, and it was starting to become more noticeable. Claude had even asked about it, given Byleth had confided in him a little bit regarding such matters. Yet Byleth mostly kept the incident with Bernadetta to himself, bottling it up with the other numerous emotions swimming inside of him right now. The other members of the Golden Deer began to notice, and quite a few tried to get an answer out of him. Was it something about the last battle? Or the upcoming mission at the Holy Tomb? Theories ran rampant yet none could confirm them.

"Do any of you have any ideas?" asked Ignatz.

"Maybe he's got a stomachache? Those really suck," offered Raphael.

"I highly doubt that's the case, Raphael," spoke Lorenz. "That being said, I haven't been able to discern a reason myself, and the professor doesn't seem keen on telling us."

Lysithea looked deep in thought, which got Annette's attention. "What is it, Lysithea?"

"I've noticed that Bernadetta hasn't appeared all that much," she said with a hand to her chin. "I didn't think much of it at first, but I've noticed it happening much more often."

"Huh, you would notice that," noted Claude to the little group. "But that would explain a lot about Teach's behavior. Those two seem especially close, right?"

"Yeah, they had a very tender moment last month," said Hilda. "Annette, Lysithea, and myself watched it ourselves. Considering all the other times they've been together, I think they value each other a lot."

"And Bernadetta didn't take too kindly to Teach's change I imagine?" Claude asked rhetorically, already figuring the answer to that. "Heh, I never would have guessed."

"Oh, so there are things even the great Claude von Reigen doesn't know about the professor," laughed Hilda.

"Very funny Hilda," said Claude, not offended in the slightest. "I'd say it's clear there's a side to Teach he'll only let out around her. She's special to him. Anyone can see that."

The little group would have loved to help, but no one even had the slightest idea. This was kind of different from having to figure out a battle strategy. Still, they at least kept it in mind as they went about their daily duties. And that was about all that happened for a while longer.

* * *

"Ugh...need food..."

The 20th of the month had rolled around, and Bernadetta couldn't take it any more. Either she got something to eat or she wouldn't even have the energy to move about any more. Not like her sneaking food out at night was anything she hadn't done before to be honest, hence why some cakes had gone missing some months ago. So, on this particular night, she finally exited her room, heading out to the dining hall to sneak something out. It was well into the night right now, and pretty chilly on top of it thanks to the winter air. She shivered slightly but kept on walking into the halls of the Monastery.

"Okay, what should I get this time?" she pondered to herself. "Maybe I should grab...or maybe..."

Honestly, just thinking about it would remind her of eating in the hall with Byleth and the others, which only made her mood worse. The word she said to Byleth hadn't left her ever since that day a couple weeks ago, and it gnawed at her especially at night with little going on to distract her. Honestly, she didn't like what she said, even though she wasn't lying. Something about Byleth just scared her, though she could only imagine how dejected he must have felt as he left...

**OOPH!**

"S-Sorry! I wasn't looking!" Bernadetta immediately cried out at the unexpected contact she made with someone.

"It's okay! I wasn't looking either!" came the voice of Annette, who was stumbling while holding some books. "Oh, hi Bernadetta. What are you doing up this late?"

"Oh...uh...nothing," Bernadetta said shyly, before noticing Annette's stack. "Uh, what are you doing with those?"

"Oh these? I rented a lot of books from the library. Probably too many," she giggled sheepishly at the large stack. Bernadetta could only wonder how many she had. "And I've still got a long way to go to get these up."

"I see...Well, good luck," Bernadetta said before turning for the dining hall, which Annette seemed to catch on.

"Oh, you going to grab something from the dining hall? I'll come along too," she smiled. "I could use a pick-me-up."

Bernadetta didn't exactly want the company, but having become at least a little better with being near others she didn't refuse Annette, who just smiled. The two girls make the short walk over, the halls quiet as they walked inside. Not surprisingly, both girls went off for what sweets they could find, though Annette couldn't help but wonder if sweets were all Bernadetta had had in recent days, given the reports of some missing.

"Bernadetta, have you been eating nothing but sweets?" she asked. "Don't get me wrong I love them too, but still..."

"W-Well, they're the easiest to grab," Bernadetta blushed a little. "Plus I-I just...feel better with them."

"That makes sense," Annette nodded, frowning just a little as she began to see Bernadetta stuff her face a little. "Say Bernadetta...have you been anxious about the professor too?"

Bernadetta nearly choked on her cake at the sudden question, needing a few seconds to scarf it down in response.

"W-What?! U-Um, well..." Bernadetta fumbled for an answer before something Annette said came to mind. "Wait, too?"

"Yeah, seems like everyone has been a bit on-edge lately," Annette said. "And...everyone actually misses seeing you around. You've been absent a lot more often."

"Oh...well..." Bernadetta fumbled over her words a little bit, not sure how to reply to that. "It's just...well...I..."

Bernadetta wasn't sure how much she wanted to say, though Annette seemed to be giving her her undivided attention, and that was a glance that told anyone she wasn't going away until you started talking. Bernadetta had gotten a little better with others before she had locked herself away during this month. Petra, Leonie, Dorothea, and even Raphael had been good helpers in that regard. Annette wasn't really one of those she talked with often, though she knew Annette was a pretty good listener.

"I...I said some things to the professor," Bernadetta looked downcast. "He...came to my room and asked me if I wanted to do something like before. Except...I...basically shooed him off...I mentioned his changes and I think he picked up on that..."

"Oh, I get it," Annette frowned, nodding a little. "Yeah, I think everyone's been on edge about that. Between that and our upcoming mission, I think we've all been handling it in our own way."

"Maybe...but I don't like it," Bernadetta frowned again. "I've felt horrible ever since then, like...I shoved him away. It's...gnawed at me every night..."

Bernadetta could feel her eyes prickling a bit as she spoke, making her rub her eyes as a small whimper escaped her mouth. Annette gasped a little before reaching into her pouch and brought out a handkerchief for her to use. Bernadetta took it gratefully, using it until her slight sobs dried up. She honestly wasn't sure where this burst of emotion came from. Perhaps it was because she was talking about this with someone for the first time this month.

"T-Thanks..." she mumbled as she handed it back.

"No problem," Annette smiled sincerely. "And hey, you know, I think the professor would really appreciate it if you spoke with him. This might just be me but I think you two have something special."

"Really?" Bernadetta asked.

"Sure," Annette nodded. "I saw it as clear as day when you two were at the cemetery."

"You what?!" Bernadetta suddenly freaked at the idea of an audience being there while she was with Byleth in that moment. Annette frantically waved her arms to calm her down.

"Sorry, it just sort of happened!" Annette blushed a little as she calmed Bernadetta down. "But I meant what I said. I think you two really get each other, probably better than the rest of us do. So...why not just talk together?"

"Is it really that simple?" Bernadetta asked, to which Annette nodded eagerly.

"Of course. It's great to have someone in her life that you can just talk about anything to," she smiled. "I know it's hard. Trust me, finding the right words to say to someone can be tough for anyone. But...that just makes it all the more important to be the one to start it."

"It sounds like you're speaking from personal experience," Bernadetta asked, now curious.

"Heh, kind of," Annette kind of looked off into the distance. "But still, what do you say to that?"

Well, it sounded like she had the right idea, though being the assertive type for that kind of stuff wasn't Bernadetta's forte. Still, she didn't like Byleth being all alone like he was before. If it was really in her power to help him, then perhaps she did owe it to him to at least try.

"Well...I suppose I should," Bernadetta said, not exactly flowing with confidence but Annette seemed to take it enthusiastically.

"Great!" she cheered, before looking outside the hall. "And I think you might already have a chance. I think he's practicing at the arena right at this moment. Nice and all alone. Perfect opportunity."

All alone? She could handle that, right?

"Y-Yeah. I'll do it," Bernadetta smiled a little.

"All right. I'll leave you to that," Annette smiled as she got up and collected all her books. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to figure out how I'm going to get these up a flight of stairs."

Annette excused herself and grabbed her books again, leaving Bernadetta alone. However, the silence didn't last long, as Bernadetta suddenly heard a loud crash, making her sweatdrop.

"Who puts a stupid chair in the middle of the hallway?!"

* * *

"Ha! Ha! Hwah!" Byleth cried out.

While he didn't use the Sword of the Creator often during practice, he felt it necessary to at least get a little bit in, and today felt like a good night given sleep wasn't coming easily to him. Honestly, he had been kind of out of it for the majority of the month, just passing through each day until they all blended together. He still made sure to make time for his students and their problems if they had any, but he had to admit he was lacking energy for most of it. He knew he wasn't in ideal shape for the upcoming mission, which made him all the more worried. Rhea said she'd be joining along, for whatever that truly meant.

"Sigh...I need to get better than this," he sighed, whipping the relic back to its original form.

Truth be told, Bernadetta's words still stung a little, even though he knew she didn't mean any harm. Still, he had hoped to confide in her, just as he had done before. Yet, without that, it just wasn't working. Claude did his best of course, but Byleth found it hard to trust even him with everything. There were just things that were hard to discuss, even with him. Plus, the guy was always holed up with his own plans. Not that Byleth held any of this against him of course. It's just that some things were hard to confide in, even with Claude. In the end, it was kind of like how he felt last month with Jeralt's death: all alone.

He went ahead and practiced some more with his sword, working off any remaining energy he had. However, he hadn't gotten far until he heard a quiet voice.

"P-Professor?"

Byleth paused at this, thankfully having enough awareness to retract his blade before looking around, until something landed in his sights.

"Bernadetta?" he asked in bewilderment.

Bernadetta gulped. It took her a little while to get here from the dining hall, but she had actually spent the last few minutes fumbling over in her mind just what to say to Byleth. She went over no less than 20 different ways to break the ice, and each seemed less appealing than the last, bordering on embarrassing. Still, here she was, standing in front of Byleth for the first time this month.

"I-I...well...um..." Bernadetta fumbled all over her words. There were words in her head, yet she couldn't seem to get them out the way she wanted.

"Did you need something?" Byleth asked solemnly. He had hoped he wasn't disturbing her for some reason. He was surprised to see her up at this time of night, but that was beside the point. "I'll get out of your way if you need me to."

"O-Oh well...I mean...I just want..." Bernadetta continued to fumble. Okay, breathe in and out, breathe in and out. Come on Bernie, get it together!

However, Byleth wasn't sure how to take her uneasiness. Given how uncomfortable he made her at the beginning of the month, perhaps he just needed to give her space. Sighing, he figured he should probably leave her to her business. He sheathed the Sword of the Creator and began to walk off.

"I apologize. I'll get out of your way," he said, walking past her. "Good night Bernadetta."

Oh no, he was leaving, just like that. And all because she was clamming up like she had done so many times. She had thought she had gotten over most of that but here she was unable to speak to the one she adored. Frustration and sadness was building up inside her. Why couldn't she say anything?! Why did she have to be so bad at this?! Already, she could feel tears beginning to build at the corners of her eyes again.

And as Byleth almost disappeared out of the arena, a loud voice brought him back.

"PROFESSOR!" he heard, startling him as he turned around to face a tear-eyed Bernadetta. "I'm sorry for pushing you away like before! I'm sorry I wasn't there to help you and just hid away! I'm...I'm so sorry for everything! So...please...please tell me anything! Tell me what's been happening!"

The words just flowed out like a broken dam, so fast that Bernadetta wasn't even thinking as they came out, going purely on instinct. To say Byleth was floored by this would be an understatement. Bernadetta was breathing heavily by the time she stopped talking, her face absolutely flushed, probably from both the speech and the cold. As he was digesting this though, Bernadetta's face began to downcast.

"I-I'm sorry!" she cried out, reminiscent of her usual tendencies. "I shouldn't have said anything! I'll leave you alone!"

She began to run right then. Good going Bernie. Now you just made it worse! It would have been so much easier if you just didn't worry about it! These thoughts swirled in her head as she closed her eyes and ran, hoping to just get back to her room and hope Byleth didn't dislike her even more than before. Oh what were the odds of that? He probably...

And just then, Bernadetta felt a pair of arms surround her before she could get far away, feeling Byleth holding her close. To be honest, both of them were a little embarrassed at this, but despite that, all Byleth could feel was relief. Bernadetta had come all the way here just to apologize and ask him to confide in her just like before, even though she was scared to do so. To hear that made all the anxiety he felt over the last month just wash away, giving way to a welcomed state of relief.

"Bernadetta...thank you so much," he smiled a little as he separated so he could look her in the eyes. "I was worried that you didn't wish to speak to me again after what had happened."

"No..i-it's my fault..." Bernadetta said, still wiping some of her tears. "I...I shouldn't have pushed you away like that. I mean...you look different...but you didn't treat anyone any differently. I was wrong to be scared just because of that."

"Well, that's all in the past, right?" Byleth smiled. "Why don't you come with me? We should get out of the wind."

Bernadetta just realized how cold it was, and she shivered at that sudden realization, making Byleth give her another small smile. As a gesture of thanks, he removed his coat, giving her a little extra warmth as they walked out of the arena. The large thing draped over Bernadetta's short stature, but it was certainly warm enough, which made her blush. They walked to Bernadetta's room, even though hers was a little further away. Byleth considered taking her to his, but he didn't want to make her potentially uncomfortable with the implications. In any case, they got inside and closed the door, allowing her to warm herself up.

Frankly, finding a place to even begin was hard enough. How exactly do you explain the idea of having a goddess in your head for close to a year? Then again, with all the craziness that just happened, perhaps it was par for the course. If anything, Bernadetta seemed committed to actually listening like she said she would, so Byleth simply just started at the beginning and went from there. He wasn't sure how much time was passing, but he gave the gist of what had happened to him, much to Bernadetta's shock and awe.

"Wait, you literally had a goddess in your head?!"

"Yes. Believe me, I didn't get it either. I nearly fainted the first few times I heard her."

Not to mention, the idea of it being THE goddess Sothis was even more alarming. Bernadetta wasn't sure Byleth was talking about the real goddess, but he seemed to believe so, and the powers he was able to wield were proof of that. Explaining Divine Pulse to her was especially tricky, and not exactly something he wanted to demonstrate to her, but the best way he could describe it were instances where good things just seemed to happen, to which Bernadetta could actually remember.

"That's...pretty crazy. I doubt I'd believe that if I didn't already see you come of that weird dark spell Solon made."

"Indeed, and it's not a power that can fix everything. I never told anyone this, but I tried to use it to save my father, and then, I was unable to save him. Not even time can save everyone..."

"Oh..."

Then he pretty much covered how he and Sothis interacted with daily, how she often quipped in on just about everything he did, good or bad. If anything, she was sometimes like a caring mother, and other times like a chatty sibling. That last part actually made Bernadetta giggle a little bit: the idea of a little girl chatting Byleth's ear off like that. One thing couldn't be denied, Sothis was truly Byleth's first real friend, and he had no choice but to fuse with her to save both of them from Solon's spell.

"And that's why your hair changed?"

"Yes, and all of it was my own fault. I failed to anticipate them laying a trap. They knew I'd want revenge for my father, and I walked right into it."

"Well...y-you shouldn't beat yourself on it. Lot's of people would probably do something like that."

"But I'm responsible for you and everyone else here. My father always told me how I'd never be able to sleep if I allowed any harm to come to my students, and I very nearly allowed it to happen. I may not show it very well...but you are all precious to me."

Bernadetta blushed at that, though she smiled all the same. Truly, there never was anything to worry about. The professor was still the professor, and some wonky goddess stuff wasn't going to change who he was. Guess Annette was right on the money there. All he needed was someone to confide in just like she thought. How she could be the one to do that bewildered her, but she wasn't going to question it.

"Thank you professor," Bernadetta smiled. "And thank you for telling me. Somehow, it really makes most of this past year make so much sense now."

"I'm happy too Bernadetta," Byleth smiled back. "And I'm glad I got to share this with you, especially with where we're going next."

"The Holy Tomb, right?" Bernadetta asked. "I guess this must be related to you as well?"

"Most likely. I don't know what Rhea has in mind, but I'll see it through," Byleth said. "And I'll need all of you alongside me."

"Y-You can count on me!" Bernadetta said in a surprising show of confidence. "I-I mean...I'll try to help as best I can. Better to do that than hide again."

"Heh, I'll be counting on it," Byleth smiled again. "Well, we've talked many of the hours away. Best to get what sleep we can."

Bernadetta was about to agree, before she actually remembered something and stopped Byleth.

"Oh wait, professor!" Bernadetta stopped him, before pulling something out and splitting it in half. "Here."

It was a tart, a rather famous delicacy from Enbarr. Obviously another thing she grabbed from the dining hall, to which she figured Byleth would figure out. Still, Byleth smiled and accepted it.

"Much obliged," he said, beginning to take a bite alongside her. "Guess that's where you were before this."

"Ah? W-Well..." Bernadetta blushed again. "I was just passing by and..."

"Bernadetta," Byleth said, though the stern tone was betrayed by his smile. "Don't think I'm not aware of your occasional late-night pilfering from the dining hall."

As embarrassed as she felt from that, Byleth's chuckle actually helped to settle her nerves, and both of them gratefully ate their little dessert together. A fitting end to what had become an eventful night.

* * *

Lysithea made it a point to always arrive to class early. That's how adults worked most of the time, right? Well, it was what she rolled with in any case. Plenty of people told her she overdid it, which she mostly ignored. As per usual, she was strolling into the Golden Deer classroom, about to put her books down in her usual spot.

Except there was something, or someone, next to her.

"Bernadetta?" Lysithea spoke out loud.

The purple-haired girl was actually snoozing in her seat, resting on her arms. Lysithea's words however actually stirred her, making her yawn as she slowly sat up. Ugh, her and Byleth talked things over for hours last night. She barely had enough to get any hour of sleep before she was washing up and getting ready. On top of that, sleep didn't come easy which is probably why she ended up in the classroom.

"L-Lysithea?!" Bernadetta piped up, before looking around at her surroundings. "Oh, that's right...I ended up sleeping in here..."

"That much is obvious," Lysithea replied simply after getting her composure back. "I'm surprised to see you here, not that it's any of my business."

Lysithea didn't push it any further, which Bernadetta appreciated. The memories of the previous night flowed back into her, reminding her of just how eventful it was. One would think she would panic at remembering such things, yet she just blushed and smiled to herself. She felt better than she had in a long time. She barely noticed as other students began coming in sometime later, many of them expressing the same surprise as Lysithea, which got to the point where she was starting to get a little panicked of the attention. Though, as Annette came in, she gave a knowing glance at Bernadetta, who blushed at it. That was all Annette needed to know before she started giggling.

"What's so funny, Annie?" Mercedes smiled at her friend.

"Oh it's nothing," Annette smiled back. "Just helping a friend."

Sometime after Claude finally arrived (to which he avoided Lorenz's questioning), Byleth soon stepped into the classroom, apparently with more vigor than he had shown all month, something that was evident to everyone.

"Hi Claude," Byleth smiled as he situated things at the front of the class.

"Hey Teach," Claude smiled back. "You seem pretty lively today."

"Do I?" Byleth smiled simply. "Well, suffice to say things are looking up."

Claude smiled at his professor/friend looking brighter, even though he couldn't quite tell why. After that, and stealing a knowing glance at Bernadetta which made her blush again, Byleth apologized to everyone for looking down over the past month, but now it was time to make up for lost time and get ready for the mission at the Holy Tomb. Morale within the class seemed to be higher, as everyone loved seeing Byleth back to normal more or less. The class was a little more intensive though, as Byleth wasn't kidding about getting everyone caught up.

"Bernadetta," he got her attention during private instruction. "We should do some extra training to get you caught up."

"Oh..." well she wasn't surprised to hear that. This was basically her first real classwork of the month. Byleth didn't seem concerned though.

"To help speed it along though, I asked Alois to help out after class," he smiled. "You're comfortable around him, right? That should kill two birds with one stone."

That brightened Bernadetta's mood right up, getting her to smile widely. A training session with Byleth and Alois? She couldn't ask for a better situation!

"Right, Professor!" she smiled, getting her professor to do the same.

Somehow, Byleth could feel like another wall had been struck down. The two of them had shared meaningful conversations in the past regarding her backstory, and then there both times when she consoled him when he felt like he had few choices. Byleth couldn't be more grateful to the girl for helping him as much as she did. Frankly, it made him wonder what would happen since graduation was coming next month. He figured he had so little time left with each student he had this year. Well, he would just have to cherish each one in the time he had, starting with her.

And on that note, Byleth figured it was finally time to have a nice lunch together, to which Bernadetta didn't object. Although, Byleth wanted to have a say in what she ate. It was pretty clear she hadn't eaten too properly over the past month, so he was going to get her back on a proper diet, much to her chagrin. That got Bernadetta all flustered as Byleth escorted her to the dining hall, chuckling all the way.

Claude couldn't help but notice the whole thing, smiling to himself.

"Teach is back to his old self. I'm glad," he smiled.

"They're like two peas in a pod, right?" Annette smiled as well as she came up behind him.

"You wouldn't happen to know anything do you?" Claude smirked. "Don't think I didn't see those knowing glances during class. You got those two to talk didn't you?"

"Well..." Annette blushed but smiled all the same. "Let's say I pushed them in the right direction. I couldn't stand to see Bernadetta in the professor just being miserable for so long."

"Agreed. I got no complaints," Claude nodded. "Personally I doubt I could have said anything to help him out. I ain't exactly Mr. Sensitive."

"Hm hm, right," Annette giggled before turning to Claude. "So, why did you call me here anyway?"

"Ah, that. Well..." Claude gave her a wink and directed her to the dining hall at well. "I want to talk to you about your song..."

* * *

**Dear god...over 6000 words. That's gotta be a record for me, or at least close. I'm pooped!**

**Well...there's another one. Frankly, I'm not sure how this turned out. Felt a little inconsistent with how much I did on the fly, but that might just be my high expectations. Drama isn't exactly my forte, but I can't say I didn't try at least. I'm still trying to keep the fluff kind of light since I feel that makes the most sense during the pre-timeskip era. I feel romance would better suit after the timeskip. Hopefully you all enjoy it, and if you do, that's good enough for me. :)**

**I really liked the idea of Annette being the one to give Bernadetta advice, in large part because she's my 2nd favorite girl in the game (behind Bernie obviously). Seriously, Annette is a very underrated character and I hope she gets more love sometime. I like her rapport with Claude especially, as you might have picked on at the end of this.**

**In other news, I'd like to open the floor to anyone out there who might have a special moment they'd like to see. Naturally I do still have my own ideas that will be written about no matter what, but more moments the merrier I'd say. Feel free to suggest anything if you like, or not if you prefer. I always listen at the minimum. :)**

**In any case, hope you all enjoy and I'll see you again sometime. Sentinel07, signing out!**


	4. Preparations

**Hello everyone! Another chapter arrives from yours truly!**

**So yeah, this should be the wrap-up of anything I wanted to do pre-timeskip at the least. I feel like to an extent this has gone way beyond the idea of "moments" but oh well. The Three Houses cast is fun to write so I'm rolling with it. :D**

**As usual, thanks to all the followers and those who have favorites. Those who have reviewed (which are admittedly not many but oh well) are super awesome!**

**Depending on how things go, I might get a little free-willing with the dates in this chapter. If I'm honest, I do think Three Houses has a bit of dissonance between its story and the calendar. I mean, they make a big deal of Edelgard's declaration of war in the last month and that there's not enough time to prepare yet it starts two weeks into said month. So yeah, I'm going to try and keep things as sensible as possible for this.**

**Also, as what seems to be a running trend, the "preparing for war" segment of this little story is getting divided up into another chapter. Seems whenever I have ideas, things just keep getting larger and I end up splitting up chapters since I don't really want to go beyond too many words. Oh well. :D**

**As usual, I own nothing.**

**LET'S BEGIN!**

* * *

_**Preparations**_

**Imperial Year 1180, Day 10 of the Lone Moon**

"The Adrestian Empire declares war on the Church of Seiros!"

Those words spoken at the end of the previous month still rang through every ear at Garreg Mach, and you could still see it written plainly on their faces. The declaration of war came with it news that the Adrestian army would be arriving to invade the monastery in time, approximately in two weeks or so. What many had believed would be an end to the year-long conflict that had plagued this past year instead was beginning to feel like a prelude to something more. The prospect of all-out war between the countries of Fodlan naturally had everyone on edge.

Which was what lead to the place being a lot more bustling of late. With so few time to secure defenses and other such needs, no effort was being spared in getting ready. Suffice to say the students had a lot on their plate with dealing with their remaining schoolwork. Granted, such things were lessened in the face of the coming conflict, but they were going to have to carry their share of the load as well. This was why Byleth was getting all of his students together for their first real talk since the end of the Holy Tomb mission. He would have loved to talk to Dimitri and Dedue as well but the prince of Faerghus wasn't in the mood and Dedue didn't want to leave his side.

"All right everyone," Byleth addressed everyone within the Golden Deer classroom. "As you're aware, the Knights are doing everything they can to assist with the preparations, but we need to help as well."

"Right, I figured as much," nodded Claude. "Between fortifying the monastery and and taking trips to the nearby towns, they barely have enough to get everything done. I'd love to get some of the Alliance lords to help with manpower right now, but that's out of the question."

"At the very least, we can help lighten their load around the monastery," Byleth said, before pulling out some parchment. "So then..."

From there, Byleth made sure that everyone knew where they had to help out. Whether it was supplies, training, food, or anything in between, all of it had to be done in preparation for the upcoming battle. As he did this though, he took account of how they all looked. Naturally, every student seemed stressed, though some hid it better than others. Lysithea looked as passive as ever, Mercedes had her usual smile, Raphael still had food on his own, and so on and so forth. That being said, after being with them all for nearly a year, he could tell they were all hiding some form of distress, which made sense of course. Comparatively speaking, those of the original Golden Deer house seemed to be the most well off by comparison. The former Blue Lions were concerned about Dimitri doing most things on his own, as well as his recent fits of anger which didn't seem to surprise Felix one bit.

However, what worried Byleth the most were the former Black Eagles. They had by been far the most quiet of the bunch so far, well except for Caspar who had been seen punching some stuff earlier. Ferdinand and Dorothea were stunned silent, a rarity for either one. Petra was mostly confused, and Linhardt was still half-asleep. Still, he wondered about who had become the most important one of all.

Bernadetta hadn't spoken much since the Holy Tomb mission, and he couldn't get a read on why. Her usual fearfulness seemed to be there, but Byleth had a sense that it was for different reasons. Surprisingly, she actually hadn't been in her room all that much in the past few days, spending a lot of time alone in the greenhouse or around the outskirts of the monastery.

Hopefully he'd get to talk to her eventually. He would need to figure how each of the students were taking things going forward, but he was really curious to learn her thoughts.

* * *

One could say all the students were wondering just what their future was going to be at this point. So much for a nice and simple graduation as many had hoped. Nope, instead it was preparing for war, and one with one many considered a friend or at least an ally. Many naturally had their own reservations about such a thing, particularly those who used to be in the Black Eagles due to their association with Edelgard.

Bernadetta was naturally dealing with many of these emotions herself. Edelgard wasn't someone she'd call a close friend, but she was someone who tried to help the little recluse in her own way. She wasn't someone Bernadetta would ever seriously want to fight. However, even more than that, the sensations from the last fight hadn't stopped, and her hands still trembled. Who they fought in the Holy Tomb weren't bandits or rioters or evil sorcerers like before. No, they had fought an actual army, lead by the Flame Emperor herself. Furthermore, it was her own country's home. Even though she was never exactly patriotic for her place of birth, fighting against it was certainly something she'd never want to do. Yet, here she was doing just that, which felt completely suicidal, a sentiment likely shared by many.

To be honest, in the days leading up to the Holy Tomb, Bernadetta had been giving her future some thought, particularly after she and Byleth had their talk to clear the air. What exactly would she do following graduation? Well, most students go back home to see where life takes them, and nobles in particular have to be ready to inherit their lands and titles from their predecessors. Bernadetta wasn't particularly sure how to handle that particular aspect. She wasn't even sure if she wanted to inherit her birthright, given it would mean going back to her former home and confronting her dad. He had become more apathetic towards her, but would that really remain the case upon her return? She was of age now, and there was the chance he'd take that to continue what he started years ago. Just thinking about sent shivers down her spine.

"Bern? You alright?" the voice of Dorothea snapped her out of her thoughts. "You've been staring at that wall for a few minutes now."

"What? Oh..." Bernadetta groaned. Great, and she probably looked like a weirdo while doing so. "I should go then."

"Now now, don't give me that," Dorothea gently turned her back before she could run away. "If there's something on your mind, you should come out and say it. We're friends, right?"

Ah yes, how could she forget the moment she became friends with the former opera songstress. Dorothea was the only person aside from Byleth whom she had divulged any of her troubled past too, to which Dorothea replied she'd be happy to smack her dad for it. As amusing as it sounded, probably best not to test her luck. Still, it was company that Bernadetta appreciated. Really, by now she had a least a few friends she could count on for the most part. Petra and Leonie were also nice, if a little scary in the former's case. Felix was scary too, and kept asking her about "secret techniques", which she had no idea what he was talking about. Still, he wasn't a bad guy. Oh, and Raphael was kind of like a big teddy bear, albeit one with huge muscles.

Wow, when you think about it, that's actually a pretty nice group.

"R-Right..." Bernadetta sighed, though smiled a little as she sat down, Dorothea following right after. "Well...I guess...the thing is...I've been wanting to talk to the professor about something..."

"Oh of course," Dorothea smiled, not even trying to hide that sly little look of hers. "You two seem to be very close. I'm very jealous."

"What? I-I mean...!" Bernadetta blushed madly at Dorothea's smirk, before she calmed her down.

"Relax Bern, I'm happy for you," Dorothea replied. "Professor Byleth is special to all of us, but it's not too hard to figure you two have something truly special. Really, so many of us weren't sure how to handle things following that battle with Solon, yet you actually got through to him."

"Oh...well..." Bernadetta's blush remained, though much less pronounced. "That...wasn't really all me. I probably wouldn't have been able to if Annette hadn't egged me on it."

"I think you would have found the courage eventually," Dorothea smiled again. "After all the craziness we've had this year, I think you can handle more than you think you can?"

"Really?" Bernadetta perked up a little.

"Really," Dorothea nodded before she got up from the bench. "And now, I gotta get to the stables. Gotta help Marianne, Ingrid, and Ferdie with the horses. I'll catch you later!"

"B-Bye!" Bernadetta gingerly waved back as Dorothea left to head to her assignment. Which meant she ought to get to where she was supposed to: the kitchen.

Come to think of it, it was a good spot for her, a place she felt more or less comfortable with and could probably think more clearly in. Byleth really did have a perfect grip on how to divide up the class to tackle each task effectively. Of course she wouldn't be by herself as Ashe and Annette were also assigned to help out. She hadn't had too many talks with Ashe but he seemed like a nice enough boy, and Annette was someone she was already acquainted with talking to. Bernadetta was at the least okay with most of the class by this point. In any case, she jogged over to the kitchen, hoping that things wouldn't be a total disaster.

* * *

"Hmm..." Byleth hummed as he looked over the map of Garreg Mach. It was the same map he had looked over many times already, as it was likely where they'd confront the Adrestian army.

"So many entrance points," Claude mentioned. "We'd have to make sure we take control of them, otherwise we'd get swarmed."

"With all of the knights around, I don't think that should be a problem," said Ferdinand. "However, if they take control of the artillery first, that would put us at a disadvantage."

Byleth had been helping with just about everything around the monastery of late, but he spent the majority of time either training or strategizing. The former mostly because he was still trying to get used to the sensation of Sothis' power inside of him. The other being that he would likely lead the defense of the monastery once the battle began. Battling an army offered much higher stakes than usual, which was why he was pouring so much effort into this. Claude had been a great help though, and Ferdinand had become another helpful source of assistance, even more so of late. Byleth couldn't help but wonder if he felt guilty than most considering this was Edelgard they were talking about.

In any case, they had been at this for about an hour straight, and Byleth felt like the lines on the map were starting to move. A sure sign of exhaustion.

"Let's break from this for now," Byleth said as he raised his face. "We can come back to this later."

"Sure thing Teach," Claude nodded before smirking. "I'm sure you probably prefer more pleasant company during such troubling times."

"And what do you mean by that?" Byleth asked with a raised eyebrow.

"A certain girl with purple hair, am I right?" Claude suggested, his smile not wavering in the slightest. In hindsight, Byleth should have seen that coming.

"Now's not the time for that, Claude," Byleth sighed. "Plus, I think this matter requires all of our attention."

"While I don't disagree professor..." Ferdinand spoke up. "I wouldn't be against setting aside time for personal matters either. We'll wear ourselves out before the battle even begins if we did that. Besides, with war on the horizon, I'd say that makes it all the more important to be honest with ourselves so we have no regrets."

"Wow, nice speech," Claude smirked, a look that Ferdinand didn't particularly enjoy. "You sound like you speak from personal experience."

"A scion of the Aegir family must be ready for anything," Ferdinand quipped back. "Besides, preparation for such matters are not all that uncommon in the Empire. Many nobles and knights are trained with that idea in mind. Don't go thinking that years without a major war will mean an easy fight."

"Besides, I'm sure you'd like a few words with Ms. von Edmund," Claude smirked back, getting Ferdinand to take a step back in slight surprise. "You two had quite the emotional conversation the other night."

"Hey, don't make this about me!" Ferdinand snapped back, igniting some light banter between the two.

Byleth smiled at this all the same. It was nice to see his students still being able to be themselves for a while, as opposed to the soldiers they might have to be for some time depending on how things went. Ferdinand had especially been in the dumps regarding Edelgard, to the point where he seemed pretty lost. Still, he hadn't lost his pride even in spite of that, and Byleth was thankful. Ferdinand had been really helpful in trying to devise some strategies for the battles to come. Suffice to say, it was preferable to the situation being even more dire.

In any case, now being in brighter spirits, the three adjourned for a little break, preferably to get a little food given how long they had been at this.

* * *

"Hello Bernadetta," Ashe smiled as he waved her over. "Professor Byleth said you'd be working with us too."

"Y-Yeah," Bernadetta smiled a bit, before looking past Ashe to see Annette fiddling with some pans. "Oh, hi Annette."

"Hey Bernadetta!" Annette smiled widely as she put the pans down and went to meet Bernadetta, holding her hands excitedly. "I'm so glad you'll be here with us. I've really wanted to observe your cooking."

Bernadetta smiled a little. Honestly, Annette had sort of become another friend after helping her reconnect with Byleth, even though the two of them are practically polar opposites in personality. Although, Bernadetta found it a little odd that Annette was assigned to help cook with them, as she had heard Annette was responsible for a few kitchen disasters, and a few other such things. Ashe seemed to catch on to her expression though once Annette left to go retrieve something.

"Mercedes was originally supposed to come here, but she instead had to help out in the cathedral," he explained. "So Annette was brought over here. If we keep an eye on her, hopefully nothing bad will happen."

"R-Right," Bernadetta nodded slowly.

"Did you say something?" Annette asked curiously, holding a bunch of herbs.

"Oh, it's nothing really...what are you doing with those?" Ashe asked her, and Bernadetta noticed his face losing a shade.

"I saw what's on the menu today, and had a great idea!" Annette smiled. "Don't you think these herbs in particular would give it a nice kick? I think everyone could use a little spring in their step."

"Well, that's one possibility I suppose..." Ashe said with uncertainty. "But I'm not sure if..."

"Hey Bernadetta! You mind helping me with this?" Annette asked her, pulling her over.

"W-Wait! I-uh...well, okay..." Bernadetta stumbled a bit as she looked back towards Ashe.

"Oh boy...I got a bad feeling about this..."

* * *

Byleth, Claude, and Ferdinand were now making their way through the grounds on their way to the dining hall. All three of them were quite eager to get a little something after spending all that time strategizing, though that made Ferdinand wonder about something.

"I'm curious, Professor," Ferdinand asked. "You choose Ashe, Bernadetta, and Annette for kitchen duty, correct?"

"That is the case," Byleth nodded. "Granted, that wasn't the original intention. I thought of putting Mercedes there but the monks in the cathedral needed some help and she volunteered. I didn't have Annette assigned anywhere and she was enthusiastic about it."

"True, but surely you're aware of her...incidents correct," Claude smirked. "I saw the girl make a pan explode once."

"I'm fully aware," Byleth sighed, thinking back on the orange-haired girl's accidental moments. "Still I think Bernadetta and Ashe can..."

And no sooner did he say that did he and the others begin to hear a commotion from a ways in front of them, coming straight from the dining hall. Smoke seemed to be coming out, already giving a pretty good idea of what was happening.

"Oh no..." Byleth said out loud, shaking his head as the three of them ran inside.

"What's going on here?" Claude said. "I thought the war didn't start for a while."

"Everyone, calm down!" Ferdinand cried out, using his hands to motion the crowd to calm down, which helped a little. "Now, move aside and we can assist!"

Eventually, the trio were able to get all the civilians away to at least assess the situation themselves. There was indeed quite a bit of smoke coming, and a little bit of fire too which was being quickly put out by Ashe, who was covered in black himself from the smoke. Annette and Bernadetta weren't immediately said, though a bit of commotion could be heard from further back. Ferdinand asked Ashe if he needed help, but it wasn't necessary as he already had it under control. Eventually, as things began to calm down, Annette emerged, sighing and looking no less worn out than Ashe himself. Just as Byleth was about to ask about Bernadetta, a shorter figure emerged, who was probably the most worn-out looking of the bunch and covered head to toe. Bernadetta didn't seem to be freaking out like usual. Rather she just seemed stunned.

"I apologize professor," Ashe frowned.

"No, I should be the one apologizing," Annette sighed and bowed a little. "And I thought it was such a good idea."

"Let me guess, this another one of your makeshift recipes," Claude smirked.

"Hey, I thought it was going well," Annette replied indignantly before sighing again. "I had it all working, and then I turned for just a few seconds. Then suddenly, it all just blew up!"

"So...why does Bernadetta look worse off than either of you?" Byleth asked them.

"Well..." Annette started since Bernadetta still looked clamped up. "She actually tried to save the food so...she kind of got the worst of it."

"If it means anything, we didn't lose much," Ashe said as he puffed some of the smoke off his clothes. "We can get the rest of this cleaned up quickly and get back on track in no time."

Byleth assured them that it was alright. Everything was a learning experience in the end so there was a silver lining. Annette would improve in time, and only practice was going to help with that. In any case, they worked to get everything all set up to continue, which didn't take too long as Ashe implied. Though Byleth kind of had to help shake Bernadetta out of her shock.

"You alright?" he asked as he got some out of her hair, which seemed to alert her a little.

"Huh? Oh, Professor Byleth. I'm okay more or less," Bernadetta said, sounding more tired than anything. "I think I lost 3 years off my life though when I saw fire coming off the pan and it just blew up.

"Well, I'm just glad you and everyone else are okay," Byleth smiled, before turning around to assist. "Help me get everything set up and we can discuss lunch."

Bernadetta perked up a little after that, smoothing out her clothes a bit. Lunch sounded good, and one that wasn't on fire at the least. Within a few minutes, everything was set to resume and people were allowed to re-enter the hall, albeit a little wearier. Ashe got to explaining to Annette how the ingredients she wanted to use didn't mesh well together, and that combined with her moment of absentmindedness caused the incident. Despite not feeling great about it, Annette hung on to every word, hoping this could be avoided in the future.

Meanwhile, while Byleth and the other two settled down after helping out, Bernadetta walked over.

"So, is there something you might like? None of the food is damaged thankfully, well outside of what Annette was making," Bernadetta said.

"Hmm, how about I leave that to you, chef?" Byleth smiled a little, which made Bernadetta blush. "It's actually been quite a while since I last tried your cooking."

"Hey that sounds great. Mind making me something too?" Claude waved his hand from Byleth's other side. "I'll have what he's having."

"I shall join in this as well," Ferdinand took a seat opposite them. "I confess I've been wanting to see your cooking skill for some time. A lot of people look forward to when you're on kitchen duty you know."

"Oh that's...wait what?!" Bernadetta's face went even redder. Wait, this many people looked forward to her cooking? Suddenly the expectations felt a lot heavier.

"You can do it, Bernie," Byleth offered. "And when you're done, we'll all enjoy it together."

As anxious as she still felt inside, Bernadetta smiled a little and went to go prepare something. Admittedly, it would have been nice to have a more...private moment with Byleth, but still, this didn't feel so bad. Hopefully there might be time for that in the future. But for now, she had to think of what might be good to serve them all. Hmm, there was plenty of meat from hunting...

* * *

**Imperial Year 1180, Day 12 of the Lone Moon**

Bernadetta kept herself steady, gently leaning through the bush. She kept as quiet as she could, reading her bow. There were a little shaking, but she kept it as steady as she could, aiming straight for the rabbit nibbling a ways away from her. She took a breath, pulling the arrow back...

**SHOOT!**

The arrow was let loose, slicing through the grass and right into the rabbit. It twitched a bit before it finally stopped moving for good, only then did Bernadetta let loose the breath she didn't know she was holding. It took a while for her mind to actually register the fact that she actually finally shot something. The first time she actually hunted something successfully!

"I...did it?" Bernadetta questioned, slight joy creeping into her voice.

"Nice job Bernadetta!" Leonie came up behind her, giving her a solid pat on the shoulder. "You finally managed to take down a rabbit without it chasing you first."

"D-Did you really have to bring those up?" Bernadetta sweatdropped a little. So what did it matter if she got chased 15 times by rabbits and...other woodland creatures.

"That was great Bernadetta," Petra was walking up, carrying some game of her own. "I told you you are hunter."

"Thanks..." Bernadetta smiled a little, looking at her catch. "It's just one rabbit though..."

"Hey, no one's asking you to feed everyone yourself," Leonie said. "That's why we're all out here. Gotta get the reserves all stored up. We have no idea how long we'll be fighting once the Imperial army arrives."

"I believe a few more is...are needed," Petra corrected herself as she looked over what they had collected. "I shall look more east."

Ever quick to sense another catch, Petra left to go track whatever she could find. Meanwhile, Bernadetta and Leonie mostly stuck to their current area. Leonie's stash of kills was naturally pretty large compared to Bernadetta's measly one catch. But hey, progress was progress.

"You know Bernadetta..." Leonie said as she shot an arrow into another catch. "I didn't get to say this before, but I'm glad Professor Byleth is so outgoing when it comes to his students."

"Oh? In what way?" Bernadetta asked out of curiosity, readying her own arrow as she looked for a catch.

"Think about it, so many of us, including you and Petra for that matter, started out in other houses," Leonie clarified. "We might have all ended up split up thanks to Edelgard. I'd hate to have you as an opponent."

That was true. So many of Byleth's more outstanding students were former Black Eagle and Blue Lion members, yet he was able to bring them all under one banner. Guess it spoke to their professor's leadership capabilities. Bernadetta certainly wouldn't refute Leonie's words. What if she had ended up stuck in Edelgard's army and have to fight the people she had come to actually like being around, or have to fight Byleth himself for that matter? The very thought was terrifying, probably even more so than many other things Bernadetta found frightening. She really valued Byleth so much for all the help he had given her.

"I...I really wouldn't want to fight you either," Bernadetta said solemnly. "Though...you said you want to be a mercenary, right? What if Edelgard wants to hire you?"

"Hey, just because I want to be a mercenary doesn't mean I'm throwing away my morals," Leonie smiled back. "Captain Jeralt always said that fighting for what's right was just as important as the money. If the Empire wants to fight, I'd rather spend my time protecting others."

Bernadetta smiled at that. Leonie was always so strong. She always had a clear goal of what she wanted and how she wanted to get there. It was something she honestly wished she could derive a little strength from. It kind of reminded Bernadetta of how she really wasn't sure what she wanted to do after graduation, if they would even have one at this rate.

"Besides..." Leonie winked a little. "If we're lucky, maybe we'll end this fight in one battle and we'll all go home happy. Though I wouldn't place a wager on that."

"Right..." Bernadetta looked back at her bow, seeing another animal. Remembering the feeling from before, she shot her arrow, inflicting another direct blow.

As they continued their work and collected their kills, Bernadetta thought of something. She and Leonie had talked to each other rather well over the past few months, only Bernadetta found the girl to be pretty easy to talk to. A few days ago, Leonie actually asked her if she could repair a small piece of her necklace that got a little damaged. Thankfully it was a piece that Bernadetta could actually fix, so she accepted the job, getting it back to her in no time at all. However, she never asked what the significance of it was, given Leonie was not exactly an extravagant dresser.

"Hey Leonie, can I ask you something?" Bernadetta asked, so which Leonie smiled and said of course. "Where did you get your necklace?"

"Oh, I didn't tell you?" Leonie asked, a little surprised. "Huh, guess I didn't. It's something Captain Jeralt made for me back when he visited my village a long time ago. I did tell you that much right?"

"Yeah, you did," Bernadetta nodded. "It's funny. I wouldn't have expected Jeralt to be that good with crafts."

"Heh, I was surprised too, but I like it," Leonie smiled. "It's why I try to keep it in good condition. Guess it's good that I've got you in case of quick repair jobs."

"Oh, well you're welcome," Bernadetta blushed a little before she looked down. "It...must be nice to receive a gift made by hand."

"You could say that, yeah," Leonie nodded before turning. "Ah, Petra's coming back. We should collect everything and head back."

Bernadetta nodded, but her mind continued to wander. To date, she hadn't really done too much for Byleth, other than being a listening ear and making some food. Seteth made a big deal out of the fact that she seemed to be pretty good with her hands, and Leonie had always come to her whenever she needed something fixed. It made Bernadetta wonder if perhaps...maybe she could make something for Byleth. Something to always know her by. The thought of Byleth ever forgetting her sent a slight shiver of panic through her, to which she quickly shook off.

She wasn't sure what she'd do just yet, but the idea of making something that Byleth could treasure from her did give her a warm feeling inside. Guess that was something she could consider in her spare time.

And on another note, the fact that Leonie was Jeralt's apprentice gave her another thought...

* * *

**Imperial Year 1180, Day 15 of the Lone Moon**

It was almost halfway to the time when the people of Garreg Mach would need to brace themselves for war. Thankfully, everything was proceeding rather smoothly. Getting enough people for their defenses was hard enough, but the supplies were holding out thanks to everyone's hard work. Also, the weather was starting to warm up a little, making night watches a little easier, which was where Byleth found himself right now.

Despite the upcoming war, Byleth actually felt a little at ease. Much like with the kitchen incident, his students had a few rather humorous mishaps. Still, it was far from a negative. In fact, he saw them as a positive. They were still themselves, despite how anxious they all were regarding what was to come. He had talked to some regarding their thoughts and what they might want to do should they be able to return home once all was said and done. He wondered if it was doing any good, but many of the students did seem to be in brighter spirits afterwards so he took it as a positive.

Come to think of it, he hadn't talked much with Bernadetta of late, at least not at a personal level. He saw her all the time with all the assignments going around. Everyone was doing a little bit of everything these days, including her. She seemed pretty proud of the hunt she had with Leonie and Petra a couple days ago, and she turned around how things were going in kitchen after that mishap even before that. Honestly, that dish she had made for the three of him was delicious.

As of right now, Byleth was taking a walk around one of the fields just outside of the monastery. It was nice seeing just calm things over the field looked, perhaps one of few times it would remain so before the fighting began. It was a nice place to just let the mind wander, although as Byleth was doing so, he heard some subtle moving somewhere in front of him. Curious, he kept on walking, until he saw something that admittedly wasn't all that surprising. Bernadetta was sitting there in the grass, appearing to have a manuscript in her hands. Probably writing something if Byleth had to guess. Well, it wasn't like late-night meetings were unusual for them.

"Bernadetta?" Byleth asked gently.

The girl squeaked slightly in surprise. "Wha! Who...Oh, it's you professor," she sighed upon finally seeing who her guest was. "Don't scare me like that! I know I can go outside a little better but that's a little much."

"I apologize," Byleth smiled. "Next time I'll make sure to be quieter."

Bernadetta pouted slightly, but eventually smiled as Byleth took a seat beside her. "It's not a problem being out there at this time of night, right? I just...really wanted a nice place to relax."

"No, it's perfectly fine," Byleth nodded. "With only a week to go, I think we could all use a little break. And I would trust you of all people to know all the good resting spots, aside from Linhardt of course."

The last bit got a little laugh out of the two of them, lightening the atmosphere considerably. Granted, Byleth noticed Bernadetta trying to hide the manuscript he was holding, though getting a glance at it brought something to mind from a few weeks ago. He smiled again at the thought of it.

"So, is that the literary masterpiece that Sylvain told me about?" Byleth asked.

"Oh it's...Wait, what?!" Bernadetta's calm face blew up in multiple shades of red. "H-He told you?! Oh, I knew it! He was out to get me!"

"Relax," Byleth smiled sheepishly as he put his hands up to calm her down. "As far as I know, he didn't tell anyone else. Plus, he was raving about it, like it was one of the best things he had ever read."

"I-It's not that good," Bernadetta shook her head, holding her script tighter. "I mean, I like it but...I don't think..."

"Really? How about I take a look then?" Byleth reached his hand out to her, surprising her once again. "You trust me, do you?"

She did, truthfully speaking. Still, allowing someone else to read this willingly was another matter. She remembered how mortified she felt upon learning Sylvain read it, despite her initially feeling flattered before that. In the end though, she slowly reached out and allowed Byleth to take a look, though she could feel her face getting even redder. Oh, her own professor was going to read her work. Where was a hole to hide in when you needed it?

No words were spoken for a good while. Byleth's eyes through line after line of words, only building the amount of anticipation Bernadetta felt inside. His eyes widened at some points, he nodded at others, put a hand to his chin a few times, and even held his breath. That didn't Bernadetta's nerves, as she felt herself wanting to hide under her hoodie. This continued for a good 10 to 15 minutes or so.

Bernadetta was sure she was on the verge of passing out once Byleth finally looked up from the pages, giving her that usual passive look he had a lot of the time. Before she could panic and begin apologizing though, Byleth smiled.

"Bernadetta, this is amazing," he said truthfully. "It's one of the most detailed stories I've ever read. You really get a sense for the struggle the main heroine is going through throughout the story."

"R-Really?!" Bernadetta smiled so fast that she felt like her heart was going to jump out of her chest. "Thank you so much. I-I really like it myself."

"Honestly, I can see why Sylvain wanted to tell others about it," Byleth continued. "It feels like it'd be a great inspirational tale."

"You think so?" Bernadetta said before looking a little downcast. "Maybe I shouldn't have been so hard on him then. I panicked when he told he he read it and thought he was setting me up for failure."

"Well I suppose Sylvain's reputation does precede him," Byleth sweat-dropped a little before going back to the script. "By the way, these illustrations look very familiar. Seteth happened to show me one of the books he's putting together and there were pictures like these."

"Oh...yeah those are me," Bernadetta blushed again. "We just happened to come across each other and I started doing illustrations for his books. Hilda's actually been helping out a lot with them too. She's been a big help."

"Interesting," Byleth smiled and nodded before handing it back to her. "But I really do think many of the others would love to read this. If anything, given the current situation, I think it's all the more appropriate."

"Oh no no no," Bernadetta rapidly shook her head before taking back the manuscript. "I'd feel like dying if anyone else read it."

"Bernadetta..." Byleth spoke slowly, which surprised her a little. "Far be it from me to tell you what how to handle it, but we don't know how things well be by the time the war is over."

Bernadetta's eyes widened, as this was really the first time the two of them had spoken much regarding the war itself. Bernadetta really hadn't been able to fully come up with what she wanted to say to Byleth regarding her future. In Byleth's case, he didn't really have the time for them to have a long discussion like he would have wanted, given he needed to get back to his watch, but he could at least spare a little bit of time to give her some advise he thought she needed.

Bernadetta looked downcast at Byleth's words, knowing he had a point as he often did. Depending on how things went, everything could be gone. Her story, literally and figuratively, could end on the battlefield with no else to know the tale. Admittedly, the idea of everyone accepting her story like Byleth and Sylvain did sounded great, but did she have the courage for that?

"I have to get back to my shift now," Byleth said as he got up, but he gave her one last smile. "I believe you have a lot of gifts Bernadetta."

And with that, he felt her to her thoughts, making her look up at the starry sky. She wondered about just what she could do. Worry about what-ifs, or perhaps take a plunge of faith. She wished she could have had more time to talk about things, especially with other things that were on her mind, but perhaps this was enough for tonight. She looked at her story one more time, thinking about what the heroine might do...

* * *

Now being Day 9 of the Lone Moon, Byleth wondered if perhaps he had gotten too much sleep after his shift last night. He yawned constantly as he got out of his quarters, making his way down to the classroom to get ready for the day's topics. He wondered just how off his sleep schedule had become thanks to all the additional work. Well, at least class should be light today.

However, after a little while, he started to hear some commotion outside. Naturally curious, he got up from the teacher's desk and went outside, immediately finding a crowd of his students.

"Huh?" he asked, which got Dorothea's attention.

"Oh, good morning professor," she smiled. "Sorry if we're being loud. Everyone got really excited over Bern's story."

"Huh?" he repeated, before it all just sunk in and his eyes widened a bit. "Wait, she shared it with you?"

"Ah that's right, she said she already showed you," Dorothea said. "But yeah, Bern actually approached Hilda and I as we were talking, saying she wanted to show us something. You should have seen our surprise when it turned out to be a big manuscript. Who would have thought Bern was such an author?"

Byleth's mind began to race a little. Bernie actually took his advise? He really didn't expect her to act on it so soon, or really even to act on it at all. Guess it kind of made sense for Dorothea though as the two had become good friends. From there though, Byleth could only imagine it just ended up spreading. Hilda was actually dotting her eyes with a hankerchief.

"Oh my goodness, it was such an emotional piece! It brought me to tears!" cried the pinkette, though Byleth couldn't help but wonder if she was being melodramatic, a point he was further convinced of when she smiled and spoke in her usual voice. "Seriously though, the heroine's story is so enthralling."

"I couldn't agree more," smiled Ashe as he was joining the conversation. "It kind of reminded me of all the tales of Loog. The heroine's bravery in the face of adversity really spoke to me."

"I knew everyone would love it," chuckled Sylvain. "And I knew even before you, professor."

"It was certainly a work of art," Lorenz chuckled as well. "Even I was stunned by the script's quality. I dare say it would be a fast sell on the market."

"And the illustrations were just beautiful," nodded Ignatz. "Bernadetta's abstract style really adds a vibrant and unique image."

"I should get my sis a copy of this," Raphael smiled. "It'd make a great present for her next birthday."

"My heart pounded at every word. I want to read it again," said Flayn.

"I've...never read anything like it," Marianne mumbled a little, though a small smile could be seen. "It was...nice."

And the words of praise went on and on, including Petra getting confused at a certain phrase and Leonie having to correct her. Ingrid was on board with Ashe's take and took to heart the lesson of perseverance. Annette and Mercedes took turns gushing about this and that, and so on. Suffice to say it was quite the occasion, and Byleth couldn't help but chuckle a little. Seeing this reception was great. He hoped Bernadetta was taking it as well.

On that note, he wasn't sure what to think once he actually got through the crowd to Bernadetta herself, who was clenching her script again and looked pale in the face as if she had just seen a ghost.

"You okay Bernadetta?" he asked.

"I didn't mean to...tell all of them...I was just letting Dorothea look...and then Hilda saw it...and then...everyone else..." Bernadetta stuttered, looking like she was on the verge of fainting.

"It's okay," Byleth smiled as he put a hand on her shoulder, seeing some life return to her eyes. "See, they love it."

"Not to mention," Claude was stepping in with a smile of his own. "I don't think I've seen everyone this enthusiastic since the ball. Well done Bernadetta. I think you just inspired the whole house to keep going."

"I...W-Well..." Bernadetta kept on stuttering, her face beginning to shift from white to red. She didn't seem as scared now, though Byleth was sure her brain was overworking to figure out what to say.

Byleth chuckled again, before turning to the class.

"OH right everyone, into the classroom," he said. "We still got class to finish."

There were words of confirmation as the students turned and began to pile into the Golden Deer homeroom, though not before others gave some last minute praise.

"If you publish it, let us know!" cried Annette.

"If you want ideas for more characters, I might have an idea!" cried Ferdinand proudly. "A dashing young noble who..."

"Ferdie, shut up and get in here," Dorothea said as she grabbed him by the collar and pulled him inside.

Claude winked and gave a mock salute to the two of them before going inside himself, leaving the two alone for a little. While there was still much to talk about before the war began, Byleth was happy for this. All in all, it felt like everyone just got a little bit closer. He looked down at Bernadetta, who seemed closer to normal now, though still red as a berry.

"So...how does it feel now?" Byleth asked.

"Weird...and I think I'm gonna faint," Bernadetta squeaked out before she looked to Byleth. "Yet...it's nice too..."

"I'm happy for you," Byleth smiled. "You'll have to let me know when you write the next chapter."

"S-Sure..." Bernadetta's smile slowly returned as the two began to walk in. "I've already got some ideas. You'll be the first to see it."

* * *

**Ugh, somehow these chapters just end up getting longer, and to think I originally had even more events than this in mind. Yikes.**

**Admittedly, I think that whole kitchen segment kind of flamed out near the end. Not sure how I feel about it. I mean, I fully admit this fix as a whole is more free-wheeling than my previous stuff, but still I like to maintain some level of quality. Perhaps I'll think of a better way to write it later.**

**In any case, I do how how it turned out was satisfactory to you all. I did like the other segments of the story a lot more so there's that. :D**

**So, with that said, I hope to see you all next time. Perhaps I'll actually finish the pre-timeskip stuff at long last. Sentinel07, signing out!**


	5. Heart to Heart and Advent of War

**Hello again to you all! Kind of took my time doing this one. So much other stuff to do! :D**

**In any case, as usual, thanks to all of those who favorites and watched, and special thanks to reviewers as well. Not much to say other than the fact that this should finally be the end of the pre-timeskip stuff. Certainly went on longer than I thought, but oh well.**

**Oh, and for any who don't know, the last chapter was changed up a bit, including some dates reworked and the kitchen segment being somewhat re-done. I hope it turned out better. I at least felt better about it.**

**As usual, I own nothing.**

**LET'S BEGIN!**

* * *

_**Heart to Heart and Advent of War**_

**Imperial Year 1180, Day 20 of the Lone Moon**

Less than a week. That was all the time they had before it was do or die. Many of the most recent days had been more of the same: training, resource gathering, etc. Preparations had been coming along relatively well with many feeling confident that they had done as much as they could. Many of the students were continuing their usual studies and training to be in the best shape possible, though it was hard to resist the urge to not over do it.

"Keep going everyone! You're doing great!" cheered Hilda. "Lift those barrels! Cut that wood! Go go!"

"Hilda, quit yelling and actually get involved," Claude sighed as he parried a sword strike from Ignatz. "You're going to be needed just as much out there. Go train with Raphael or something. I'm sure he needs an axe partner."

"Did somebody call my name?" Raphael spoke happily, looking over where he was lifting some wood.

"Are you kidding me?!" Hilda cried back incredulously. "He'd snap me in two!"

"Considering all the bad guys you've axed in two, I don't think you'll have that problem," Claude grumbled.

Byleth smiled a bit as he looked over everyone that was training in this area. The training grounds were packed full of everyone today, getting in whatever practice they could. Some were eager, while some perhaps a little more reluctant. Ferdinand was trying to actually coax Linhardt into joining Mercedes and Marianne for some Faith training, to which the Hevring heir was being as nonchalant as usual. Lysithea was basically training and lecturing whether the others wanted it or not. Yeah, it was that kind of day.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Byleth looked up a bit as he recognized that scream. Bernadetta was currently engaged with Ingrid in a bout of spear practice, mostly at Ingrid's own insistence. Another key component of training was fixing up whatever issues the students had in other weapons, so in Bernadetta's case, Ingrid wanted to help her with her lance practice since she hadn't done so in a while.

"Come on, Bernadetta! You gotta be faster!" Ingrid spoke aggressively. "Bows aren't going to be much help when the enemy is right in your face."

"Can't we just leave that to everyone else?!" Bernadetta cried out before she blocked another strike. "And just leave the sniping to Bernie."

"Nope, not going to work on me. You can't always depend on us to be there for you," Ingrid said as she swung again from the right. "Anything can happen in war. You might end up separated and have to fight out on your own. Best to leave nothing to chance."

Of course, Bernadetta knew Ingrid was right. Everyone knew what was at stake, so it best to train themselves in all types they were good at, and even some things they weren't. Still, even though Bernadetta figured lances were the only weapons outside of bows she had any proficiency with, her level was pretty well below others, not to mention the fact that Ingrid was perhaps the best on the subject.

Didn't make training with her any less of an ordeal though! Ingrid was as brutal as they came! They had been at this over an hour an a half and she still was showing no signs of exhaustion. Meanwhile, Bernadetta felt like her arms were going to fall off.

"Is everything all right here?"

Ah, alas here came her goddess-sent savior, figuratively and literally in a sense, to her rescue! Byleth had come over to their little spot after watching Hilda get caught up training with Raphael. She always liked he just seemed to have a sense of when she needed him the most, or maybe it was just blind luck. Either way, she'll take it.

"Oh great, you're here," Bernadetta smiled. "Can I go now? Ingrid's so much better at this than me."

"I think I have a better idea," Byleth said instead after thinking on it for a few seconds. He got a good look at the spar before he came over here.

Ingrid watched as Byleth walked over to stand behind Bernadetta, making a few adjustments to her stance and how she was holding her lance. She actually couldn't help being a little amused at watching it. Bernadetta's face was red the entire time, although she didn't resist the help. She was quite a bit smaller than most of the girls, with only Lysithea being smaller than she was, so trying to do things like Ingrid who was pretty stout for her age was not doing any good. Ingrid had a thought that that was part of Bernadetta's problem earlier in the spar, trying to mirror how she was doing it.

"Make sure your legs are a little further apart, but not too far," Byleth instructed. "Any more and you'd likely end up tripping yourself up, and place your hands here for a better grip."

"Y-Yes professor..." Bernadetta nodded, still blushing heavily.

After a few more seconds, Byleth seemed satisfied, giving Bernadetta a little pat on the shoulder and a small smile, one that possibly had the poor girl letting steam out of her ears with how close they were. Ingrid actually had to withhold a little chuckle at it. It was kind of cute, not going to lie.

"All right, you should be good to go," Byleth said. "Carry on. I'm going to check on the others."

"Yes Professor Byleth," Ingrid nodded as Byleth left their little patch of ground. "So, feeling a little better now?"

"Uh...well..." Bernadetta really could barely get a word out. The new stance Byleth gave her was more comfortable than before, but really being that close in front of other people...

"In that case, en garde!" Ingrid suddenly gave out a battle cry, causing Bernadetta to nearly shriek.

The match itself became more even, but Bernadetta couldn't help but wonder if now she was even more flustered than when she started. Ugh, why did this always have to happen? Still, it did feel kind of nice, getting some polite instruction as opposed to the more brutal teachings she had in the past. Then again, Byleth had kind of been like that the whole year.

He always made her feel the strangest things at times.

* * *

**Imperial Year 1180, Day 24 of the Lone Moon**

It was time. Scouts had confirmed that the Empire's army would arrive sometime tomorrow. A tense atmosphere had surrounded Garreg Mach all day as people of all types were making their final preparations. They had done as much as they could, from fortifying the Monastery's defenses, to evacuating the nearby townsfolk, to everything in between. Arrangements had even been made to escort the students back to their homes if necessary. Members of the Black Eagles, both current and former, would especially need those should it come to it.

"I suppose you don't need me to tell you that this might be our last day here," Byleth addressed the class, with Claude by his side.

Looking out over the class, Byleth couldn't help but feel grateful that so many of them were here, even now. Not just his own Golden Deer, but even those he had grown close to from the Blue Lions and Black Eagles. To think, there had actually been quite a bit of room left at the beginning of the year but now it was pretty stuffed. Still, it made for some lively classroom sessions all the same and he wouldn't trade those for anything. The students for the most part shoved resolve on their faces, some more anxious and conflicted than others but still willing to join the fight.

"You know grand speeches really aren't my strongest, but still..." Byleth took a deeper breath. "I'm glad I ended up your professor."

"Whoa there, Teach," Claude chuckled right next to him. "Keep that going and we'll all have waterworks in our eyes."

"You sure you're not just referring to yourself, Claude?" giggled Hilda.

"Please, I don't have any tears left," Claude winked, getting an eye roll from Hilda, not to mention Lorenz.

"In any case, it'd be best if this conflict could begin and end tomorrow," spoke Lorenz. "Though that might seem unlikely."

"But it could, right?" Annette spoke up. "Maybe...we'll win and settle this whole thing. Then we can graduate."

"Hmhm, wouldn't that be a nice happily ever after," giggled Mercedes.

"I feel like it won't be so simple, but it can't hurt to be optimistic," Ferdinand smiled. "Plus, perhaps the sooner this ends, the sooner we can get some answers."

"I'd certainly like to know," frowned Dorothea. "Oh Edie..."

Certainly, there were plenty of emotions throughout the classroom. Sylvain and Ingrid were also worried about Dimitri's present behavior, even though Felix continued to scoff at it. Ashe wondered if this too had was related to Lonato's rebellion, just like Solon and the others. To many a surprise, Caspar had actually been kind of quiet, constantly looking at his fists in anxiety. Petra occasionally spared glances at him while looking deep in thought herself. No doubt she was keeping Brigid in mind. And of course, there was Bernadetta, who still had a look that Byleth couldn't quite figure out. He had mostly left her to her own devices outside of class of late.

Byleth smiled as he looked over all the classroom chatter. Despite everything, his students had pretty much stayed true to themselves, and there was little more reassuring than that. Honestly, it really did feel like an ending to their time as students. If the war continued, school would be the last thing on anyone's minds. And if it ended tomorrow, they would move on from here all the same. It was with that in mind that Byleth truly wanted to know what many of them intended to do after school. Perhaps it was presumptuous, but it kept everyone's spirits high all the same and that's what mattered.

And so, the remainder of the class wasn't anything too grand. Byleth felt like everything had already been covered anyway over the past couple weeks of preparation. It lasted for about half of the usual time before the rest of the day was free, allowing the students to get some fresh air and do whatever else they felt was necessary. Best to take everything while they had the time after all. As Byleth went around interacting with the students over the course of the day, he got a much better idea of what many of them hoped to do.

"Nothing's changed for me. I'm still going to be a top-tier mercenary," smirked Leonie.

"Even after the war?" Byleth crossed his arms a bit.

"Still going to be plenty of problems around. Plenty of bandits," Leonie shrugged, her smirk not going away. "Besides, I gotta make up that money some how."

It pretty much continued along those lines. It was a rather amusing yet enlightening endeavor. Many of the students had given at least some level of thought to this. Even those formerly of the Black Eagles had at least some idea in mind. Ferdinand was particularly put off by the whole thing, but seemed willing to fight all the same, while Petra seemed firm in making this decision for Brigid. By comparison, the former Blue Lions seemed very put off by Dimitri's behavior, though they thought about their own situations. Ingrid changed pretty much nothing, wanting to stay true to her knight path. Felix wanted to stay on his own path, while _clearly_ not being worried for Dimitri's sake, clearly. Annette was a little unsure, though many thought she might make a good teacher herself which caused her no end of embarrassment. Honestly, she just wanted to get Gilbert to finally come home.

All in all, it was a nice day as Byleth would admit. Though, his top archery student seemed to be rather absent.

* * *

Bernadetta sighed, wondering just what brought her here of all places. After getting through class and a good meal, she figured she'd retreat to at least be in her little sanctuary for what might be her last day here, a rather harrowing thought to say the least. Yet, here she was at the cemetery, right in front of Jeralt's grave, the very one she and Byleth shared a tender moment not all that long ago comparatively speaking. Honestly, it was probably the first time the two of them really had a heart-to-heart moment, the only time Byleth himself seemed vulnerable and needed someone to lean on. Even the time Bernadetta told Byleth of her past all those months ago seemed to pale in comparison.

"Well...hi sir," Bernadetta spoke softly as if someone was really there. "Hope I'm not disturbing you."

Thinking back to when they had their moment here, it was really the first time Bernadetta ever felt like she was actually supporting someone rather than the other way around. It was heartbreaking to see Byleth so torn, something she didn't want to see again. In all honesty, she'd love to keep such a thing from happening to him ever again, but was she really strong enough for such a thing? Byleth was so much stronger than her in a lot of ways. Who was she to compare?

It made her think about other things she had been wondering about over these past few weeks. What exactly did she even want to do? Going back home was always something she preferred, but Garreg Mach was like another home now. Plus, with the war, her dad was on house arrest, which meant dealing with him even more than before. It made her stomach feel queasy just thinking about it.

Honestly, since that talk with Leonie, she at least had an idea of what she could perhaps do. It was at least something, and maybe it could lead to something more. At the least, it sounded better than just going back to the Varley territory.

And with one night to go, perhaps it was time to finally talk with her dear professor about it all. She wasn't going to get through it on her own for sure. His guidance had always been sound the whole year, so why not now?

"Guess I have no choice," she sighed, before smiling softly at the grave. "Well, wish me luck."

* * *

That night, many retired to bed to get their needed rest though a lot stayed up a little longer for a little extra work. It made for a slightly noisier night than they were accustomed to at Garreg Mach, but if there was any time to make sure you had everything in order, now was the time. For Byleth in particular, he was actually still in the classroom going over a few last minute things.

"Probably time to turn in," he mumbled to himself as he rubbed his eyes a bit, getting ready to pack it in.

However, just as he was doing so, he heard a knock, making him wonder who it could be. Looking back up, he was a little surprised to see Bernadetta standing right at the entrance to the classroom, having knocked on the open door.

"Hello Professor," Bernadetta said meekly.

"Good evening," Byleth said calmly. "Did you need something, Bernadetta?"

"Well, um..." Bernadetta struggled with her words a bit before taking a breath. "Would it be alright if talked outside?"

Bernadetta asking to talk outside? Not exactly what Byleth would have expected, hence the slight surprise on his face. However, he was no less pleased with the idea. He and Bernadetta hadn't had a talk for a while, and he was admittedly curious as to what she wanted to do after graduation if they were able to have one. With a small smile, he agreed to her request, which got a smile out of her too. Byleth quickly finished up whatever else he had before putting all the papers he had away, joining Bernadetta for a little walk.

"I'm surprised you didn't want us to talk in your room," Byleth spoke as they walked.

"Well, I thought about that," Bernadetta played with her fingers a bit. "But then I thought, maybe it'd be best to actually go somewhere with a view."

It turned out to be a nice little spot not too far from where Byleth saw her a few nights ago. It allowed for an even better view of down below, to see the wind blow through the grass and trees nearby. Honestly, Bernadetta added she really would have liked to show him a view Caspar showed her, but she forgot where it was and he did a poor job of explaining. Typical Caspar.

"We seem to be making a habit of these talks on our own," Bernadetta said as she sat down in the grass.

"True, though I don't mind it," Byleth said as he sat down next to her. "I'm glad you wanted to talk. With what tomorrow's going to bring, it's best to not have any regrets."

That was true enough. Somewhere down there, the Imperial Army was likely preparing for its assault. Terrible to think that such a pretty sight hide something so terrible.

"I agree," Bernadetta nodded, still looking rather unsure with herself as she looked out over the horizon. "I guess it's just that..."

Bernadetta paused a bit, trying to think of how to phrase her words. She had been thinking on it for almost the entire month so far, probably even more so since her talk with Leonie. That in particular gave her more things to talk about regarding what she could think about for her future. There was also the bit of wanting to give Byleth something to remember her by, though she sadly hadn't been getting enough time to finish it. With the war coming, everyone insisted she be as involved as possible (well mostly Ingrid), and that left her exhausted by the time night came, giving her little time to focus on her hobbies. Though, if they won tomorrow's battle, perhaps she'd have enough time to finish before graduation.

"I had...been thinking about what I wanted to do after graduation," Bernadetta said finally, getting Byleth's attention. "And...well it's kind of hard to say...but I don't know if I really want to go back to House Varley."

Byleth's eyes widened slightly. Bernadetta not wanting to go back to her family's estate? That wasn't something he expected. If anything, one would think Bernadetta would be eager to return to her old, familiar room. Granted, it didn't exactly sound bad if she wanted to see other places. Heck, Byleth would actually feel quite proud of her if the past year encouraged her to try new things.

"How do you mean?" Byleth asked, his curiosity piqued. "You don't want to go back to your home?"

"Well...Garreg Mach has kind of become a second home in a way," Bernadetta said, looking down as she played with her fingers. "It's still a little scary, but everyone here has been nice to me, despite me screaming at them most of the time."

"I think most people here understand," Byleth smiled. "You had a rough life before coming here. Many can sympathize with that. Yet you made through the whole year and with a few new friends."

Byleth's smile stayed as he turned his gaze towards the distance, thinking on the past year himself. Honestly, he too wished he could have been more expressive before. Only recently had he really been able to act "normally" as most would put it, while his early months with the students were largely with him still being the spacey mercenary he had been beforehand.

"Honestly, not only have you and the other students, but so have I," Byleth said, his smile still there as he looked at Bernadetta. "And I have you all to thank for that."

Bernadetta's face went beet red at Byleth's smile, though she couldn't help but smile herself. It was kind of hard to believe but he was right. Despite one terrifying fight after another, she had gone through it all, even though it'd be nice if combat wasn't something she'd have to expect every month after graduation.

In any case, they were kind of getting off topic.

"Y-You're welcome..." Bernadetta stuttered slightly before recomposing herself. "But...in any case, I just haven't really seen much reason to go back. Even more so with my father on house arrest. I don't want to deal with him again."

"I can understand that, but what about your title?" Byleth asked curiously, his hand on his chin. "Are you not going to inherit your father's title as the next Count Varley?"

"Honestly, I'm not sure if I want to," Bernadetta looked down at her hands again. "It's not like authority has ever been something I'm good at. Plus...in all honesty, my family doesn't have much status anyway given it was supposed to be a liaison between the Empire and Church. And I think Edelgard's probably destroyed whatever was left of that. Linhardt's father kind of sees the Varleys as a nuisance."

That reminded Byleth of Ferdinand's story regarding how the 6 noble families worked within the Empire. Count Varley had been more involved with Count Hevring's affairs, leading to no lack of problems. Granted, it was a rather depressing thought for Bernadetta to think of her family as a bit of an afterthought, though he could tell she had been putting some thought into it. It was best to see where this line of thought was heading.

"So, in that case, where would you want to go?" asked Byleth.

Bernadetta's breath hitched a bit. This was it. She had thought it over countless times and this was the moment where she finally had to say something. Well, there was no backing down now. She took another deep breath and exhaled.

"I was...thinking of perhaps staying here at Garreg Mach..." Bernadetta started, noting the slight rise in Byleth's eyes, but she wasn't done. "And...I wanted to ask...to be your apprentice."

In that instant, Byleth's eyes probably went the widest they had gone in some time, and that was an impressive feat. He felt sure that he had to have heard her wrong. Did she really just ask that? Why? He had thought of a few things she might say and that was perhaps the furthest thing away from any of that. He didn't even notice that he had frozen on the spot from her words, something Bernadetta noticed that suddenly made her panic.

"I-I'm sorry! I shouldn't have said that!" Bernadetta cried out, putting her hands on her head. "Stupid Bernie! This is why you're nothing but a burden!"

Almost immediately, knowing where this could go, Byleth put a hand on her shoulder.

"No Bernadetta, it's fine," he said after a second. "I was...just surprised is all. Why would you ask that?"

Oh, so he was just surprised. Guess that made sense. Even in Bernadetta's mind, it still sounded nonsensical. Well, guess she had to come clean now.

"Well...I thought that...I'd like to stay here at Garreg Mach," Bernadetta said. "For now, I don't want to go back to House Varley."

"If you want to stay at Garreg Mach, I guess I can't stop you," Byleth said after a few seconds. "But in that case, you'll have other options. You could even join the Knights of Seiros. Alois would be over the moon if you asked him."

"Heh, I can see that actually," Bernadetta smiled and giggled slightly. It was easy for the both of them to see the veteran knight ecstatic to see a friend join. Still, she wasn't done. "But I don't know if I'd like that. I can go out every now and then, but doing what they do sounds super hard."

"So then, why me?" Byleth asked after nodding at her words.

"A little while ago, I had a talk with Leonie, and she told me all about how she was Jeralt's apprentice and that she learned a lot from him," Bernadetta said. "And...I...I want to keep learning under you however I can. I don't care if it's as an apprentice or as an assistant or something. I just...want to stay here with you. You're the reason I actually get out every now and then and how I've actually been able to make new friends..."

By this point, Bernadetta's face was incredibly red, and while not as extreme, Byleth's cheeks also had a slight tinge of pink. That was perhaps the most heartfelt thing he had ever heard, aside from his father-son talks with Jeralt of course. It wasn't like other students hadn't expressed gratitude for all he had done this past year. Heck, most of them had some kind of nice words for him. But this felt like something beyond that. Someone who explicitly wanted to stay here even after graduation.

In all honesty, Byleth actually found himself rather tongue-tied, quite the unusual feeling for him. He was known for being stoic at times, but that typically wasn't out of a feeling of confusion. Still, Bernadetta's words did resound within him. The idea of a...companion of sorts sounded rather nice, though he wasn't sure if it was the responsible thing to do. Then again, it wasn't like he could order her to go back home. She was an adult now.

Plus, in all honesty, this sort of heartfelt expression reminded him of their moment months ago at Jeralt's grave. He wanted to help the girl who had helped him when he needed it the most. Guess that made his answer pretty clear.

"Well, if that's what you want, I won't object," Byleth smiled softly. "I'll ask Rhea about it. I'm sure she wouldn't mind either."

Bernadetta couldn't describe the feeling of elation within her chest. It was as if all the pressure of the past couple of weeks had finally been released, making her feel as light as a feather. She couldn't really tell, but she had perhaps the brightest smile on her face that she ever had in months. Admittedly, Byleth couldn't help but smile as well. She was, of course, a dear student, but also a friend as well just like everyone else.

"Thank you so much, professor!" Bernadetta giggled a bit as she suddenly moved forward to try and hug Byleth.

Only for her head to actually hit him squarely in the chest, causing no short amount of pain to the both of them.

"Ow! Can't believe I tried to hug you with my eyes closed," Bernadetta rubbed her head a bit. "I'm so sorry, professor."

"It's all right, Bernadetta," Byleth consoled her, making sure he was alright himself. "It was a nice gesture."

The atmosphere around the two changed considerably, a much more relaxed vibe replacing the tension that was once there. As much as the two of them enjoyed it though, it was nearing time where they desperately needed sleep. Never the less, they did stay for a few more minutes just to enjoy the scenery together just a little longer before Byleth helped her up and they began to walk inside.

"Just to be sure, are you positive this isn't just a ploy to keep your room?" Byleth asked with a small smile.

"P-Professor!" Bernadetta cried back, her face all red again. "Don't be cruel. I didn't lie!"

Byleth chuckled a little which did make Bernadetta smile a little in return. Eventually though, it was time to part as Byleth had to wrap something up back in the classroom. With her role complete, Bernadetta waved good bye and turned for her own room, shutting it as she walked inside.

"I actually...did it..." she said to herself incredulously. "I actually did it!"

The girl squealed as she plopped onto her bed, all so happy that she actually got to say what she wanted and even more so that Byleth accepted it. She felt so much better about it. Even the idea of impending war could do little to damage her mood. Well...okay it dampened it a little bit but she still felt a lot better now than she would have if she had said nothing.

Before settling herself into bed, she took one last look at what she had hoped to give Byleth before graduation. Perhaps if they won this, she'd have enough time to do so.

* * *

After splitting from Bernadetta, Byleth got back to the Golden Deer classroom, ready to finish up the last of his things before turning in. Honestly, he was feeling a lot better about this himself. All of his students were steadfast companions, but the idea of one wanting to stay around with him gave him a nice feeling. For Bernadetta as well as all of his students, he would give this everything he could so they may live to see another day.

Just as he was do his business however, he could feel a familiar presence.

"Back from your date, professor?" chuckled a masculine voice. "It was such a sweet affair."

Byleth couldn't help but roll his eyes slightly. He already knew who it was. A certain leader of the underground who had more or less kept to themselves over the many months, only sometimes coming up and interacting. Their fresh-faced leader leaned against the door as he smirked at Byleth, his uniform similar yet not similar to the uniforms of Garreg Mach, with a white sash over his shoulder that marked a house leader.

"That's my business," Byleth said as he was getting ready to leave. "Is everything ready?"

"You mean, your request? Who do you think you're talking to?" the man smirked again. "Anyone else aware of it?"

"I told Claude. He should know what to do if it comes to it," Byleth said. "Hopefully we won't need to use it."

"All the best to be prepared," the man said with a shrug. "We'll step in if necessary. Need to make sure there aren't more Imperials blocking the way."

"Suit yourself," Byleth nodded as he walked out, pausing slightly. "Just make sure to take of yourselves."

"You don't need to worry about that," the man smirked again. "And trust me, we'll make sure everyone gets out alive, including your special one."

Seriously, that guy's nerve at times...

* * *

**Imperial Year 1180, Day 25 of the Lone Moon**

The very next day, the monastery was awash in fire. The settlements directly in front were getting hit the most by Edelgard's army, swarms of black-clad soldiers everywhere you looked. The young Emperor was heading up the command herself, clad in the garb of the Flame Emperor as she had done in the past. All in all, Byleth was finding this to be a significantly tougher battle than when they faced her at the Holy Tomb. That was a token force compared to this. Even Claude was having trouble trying to think of a strategy to get through it.

By now, Byleth at least had a good idea of where all the students were. Thankfully none of them had been killed yet, but it was tough all the same. From his view, he saw his students alongside the Knights of Seiros, fighting Edelgard's commanders in an attempt to secure enough reinforcements to push the battle further. Hubert and the Death Knight were so slouches.

Complicating things further were the Demonic Beasts that also accompanied the soldiers, including a flying one that was raining fire upon the Knights. Bernadetta was current there, alongside Leonie and other Knights.

"Damn it, thing just won't go down!" Leonie cocked an arrow, shooting it into the beast's wing.

**ROAAAAAAAAR!**

"I think you just made it angrier!" Bernadetta cried out, her bow and arrow flailing a bit in her hands. "Oh no, this isn't good!"

It was taking everything they could to make sure the beast didn't enter the monastery. Everyone else was too busy with their own places to hold back the enemy so they couldn't count on many reinforcements. However, many of the Knights of Seiros had already fallen to the giant beast, and more were joining them. The beast continued to rain fireballs down on the area, breaking through the structures nearby and causing explosions near other soldiers.

Leonie was doing her best to distract the beast, focusing its eyes on her. Bernadetta was trying to face it herself, but she actually hadn't faced one of these beasts like this before. Normally they always had most of their house around to take these things on. Now, she was surrounded by corpses just about everywhere, her friend being the only support she had. She looked no worse for wear either, practically covered in soot from the fire attacks.

The flying beast was roaring again, soaring above the ground as its mouth was breathing fire again. Bernadetta got back to her feet as she trembled beneath the beast, just barely jumping out of the way before its next attack hit. However, she knew she couldn't let it get much further, otherwise it could get to Rhea.

"Bernadetta! Leonie!"

Having seen the beast, Byleth was rushing over, the Sword of the Creator glowing red as she unchained it, lashing it outward towards the beast's legs and bringing it back down to the ground with a thud, making it roar out in retaliation.

"Professor!" Bernadetta cried out. "I-I'm so sorry. I just...froze."

"It's okay, Bernadetta," Byleth assured her, sword at the ready. "We all know these beasts aren't easy. Is Leonie okay?"

"I'm okay!" Leonie apparently heard them, getting back up from her spot. "Barely even a scratch!"

Byleth looked relieved before turning a stern glare towards the flying beast, who was already back in the air. It was a good thing he decided to get over here, leaving Claude to whether Edelgard's main force. With no words, the trio got to work on the Demonic Beast, having had enough experience between the three of them to take it down. After avoiding another one of its ferocious attacks, Byleth swung the unchained sword upwards, slashing it across its mask.

"All right, not keep hitting it!" Byleth commanded.

Bernadetta and Leonie joined with any knights that remained to fire upon the beast, impaling it with blades and arrows alike. Of course, they knew these things could take a real pounding before they died, so it really took all they had. Staring the thing down had Bernadetta terrified to her core, but at least she actually had people around her instead of taking the thing on alone.

Thankfully, Byleth's sword made short work of these things, and after a little softening up, he was able to jump up and chain the beast around its neck before severing it, mercifully ending its life in an instant.

"Good work you two," Byleth smiled as he chained the sword. "I have to get back to the others. Think you can get to Hubert?"

"Compared to that thing, I think we'll be fine," Leonie swung her arm a bit. "Come on Bernadetta! We've got work to do!"

"R-Right..." Bernadetta stuttered slightly, before looking back to Byleth. "Do...you think we'll be okay?"

"We've been through a lot already, haven't me?" Byleth replied. "And if you succeed, it'll make our job that much easier."

Bernadetta nodded at the reasonable explanation, before running off to join Leonie. Byleth was right. They needed to get through Edelgard's top two commanders. They do that, and they may be able to take her down here and now.

And just maybe, this war could be over as soon as it began. At least, she hoped so.

* * *

The terrible roar of a giant white beast had rocked through the area, giving Bernadetta chills as she wondered where it was coming from. For a brief second, she could have sworn she saw a giant wing, far bigger than any demonic beast, a thought that terrified her to her core. Another thing terrifying her was the fact that Byleth hadn't been seen since it showed up.

"Claude, where's Professor Byleth?" Bernadetta overheard Hilda asking Claude.

"Hell if I know, Hilda," Claude snapped back. "I don't know anymore than you do. Teach can take care of himself."

"Yeah that's great and all but where does that leave us?!" Hilda glared at holding Freikugal even tighter. "You heard Edelgard. That was just the first wave. Even more Imperials are going to being swarming this place any second!"

"I know that!" Claude said firmly, gritting his teeth slightly. "We might have no choice..."

"What? You're not considering surrender are you?!" Lorenz spoke out. "We're hardly in a position for that."

"Hell no, Lorenz. Just that...we might have to consider other options," Claude said before looking over the slowly growing number of people they had around. "Hey Alois, there's supposed to be an escape route to the carriages, correct?"

"Well, there were," said Alois, the Knight of Seiros more than a little weary after just getting through a few battles of his own. "But with this many Imperials, we've been cut off from them. They've been instructed to move to a safer location in the event things go south, but even so, it'll be tough to move from here."

"So what do we..." Bernadetta spoke up slightly among the crowd.

"Fear not!" Alois banged his fist against his chestplate. "If necessary, we Knights of Seiros shall work as your shield while you students escape. It is our duty!"

There were some mixed feelings on that proclamation. Catherine didn't see a problem with a little extra fighting. She knew Rhea would want them to keep on going. Shamir wasn't exactly the most enthused about it, especially with Alois just signing them up like that. Among the students, those like Leonie and Ingrid were glad to keep on going. Others thought that discretion would be the better part of valor.

"Okay guys, listen up!" Claude cried out, getting their attention amongst all the crumbling structures around them. ""We're not surrendering, but we can't stay here. We can't wait for Teach this time."

"So what are you..." Hilda started.

"Retreat back to the monastery!" Claude said to everyone. "We'll be using another exit!"

Honestly, Claude wasn't too enthused about using this particular strategy of Byleth's. Sure it was a good idea, great even. Still, working with them always seemed to get on his nerves a bit. But, he had to suppress those feelings for the time being. They were working against the clock here. Every second they wasted was another second towards their deaths.

A blast of fire magic impacted Garreg Mach near their location, sending a cloud of dust through the crowd. Right then, Claude began directing everyone back inside, firing off arrows at some of the advancing Imperials. Alois, true to his word, clashed his axe against some of the advancing party, grunting as he pushed one back before slashing one in two. The Knight had already sustained some damage though judging from the cracks in his armor, meaning he couldn't keep it up much longer. It was barely enough to give the group enough time to move.

Fire continued to rage as the group continued their retreat, soldiers rapidly advancing on them. The only saving grace was that the Demonic Beasts seemed to be occupied with something else, giving them one less headache to deal with. Bernadetta's mind was racing the whole time. She couldn't stop wondering where Byleth was. Was it just like before when Solon trapped him in that dark void thing? If so, could he break out again? She wasn't sure, but she was scared all the same. Never the less, she had been trying to help stall the enemy with her arrows along with Leonie.

However, she was beginning to run low, and her fingers were bloodied up and numb from pulling her bowstring so many times. She was nearly running on empty just like almost everyone else by this point, her vision a little cloudy from exhaustion and blood loss. A factor that was clearly affecting her given what happened next.

As she turned to continue joining her friends in their retreat, she clumsily tripped over some of the debris, groaning as her head hit the ground. The cry of the Imperial soldiers grew ever closer as they were beginning to descend on her spot.

"Bernadetta!" Leonie cried out, turning back to try and grab her in time.

Barely hanging on to consciousness, Bernadetta slowly turned back to see the black-clad soldiers. Move. She had to move. However, her legs weren't paying as much attention as she would have liked, and numerous spears were approaching her. A rapid demise seemed inevitable, causing Bernadetta's mind to wonder. If Byleth was dead...would she be going to the same place...?

**BOOM!**

Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a strong flash of red, coming primarily from a giant of a relic weapon attached to an even more giant of a man. The blast had shredded through the front line of the advancing soldiers, bodies falling like crazy to the floor.

"Phew, made it just time, heh heh! Now, who wants a taste of the Unrelenting King of Grappling?!"

Standing tall, his usual grin unwavering from his face, Balthus of the Ashen Wolves proudly stared down the impending Imperials. His own relic, Vajra-Mushti, a gauntlet of incredible power, glowed with the power of his Crest of Chevalier. Granted, despite the corpses in front of them, the Imperial soldiers cried as they began to charge the man, intending to overpower him with numbers. His confidence unwavering, Balthus grinned as he slashed one of his gauntlets through the first soldier, before throwing it to knock down another one. Red energy coursed through every attack he made, carving up whatever soldier dared think could take him.

Still, there were incredible numbers though, and even Balthus couldn't keep track of every single one of them, allowing a couple of soldiers to come up from behind him with swords in hand. However, just before they could hit him, a blast of ice magic stopped them both in their tracks, causing them to fall to the ground. The magic came from up in the air, a girl atop a dark pegasus.

"Ahahaha! Tis a simple task!" Constance gloated as she guided her stead back to the ground. "I shall graciously accept your thanks."

"Yeah sure. Thanks or whatever," Balthus shrugged his shoulders before turning to the others, including Leonie helping up a struggling Bernadetta. "What are you doing just standing there?"

"It's the underground guys," Caspar spoke up. "The...uh...I forget their house again."

"The Dusty Wolves, right?" Annette spoke up.

"ASHEN Wolves thank you very much," Balthus spoke with a booming laugh. "Apologies for taking to long. We had to make sure everything was set up on our end. We can't have everyone evacuating from such a dangerous place."

"What?" Hilda asked out loud, looking at Claude. "You mean?!"

"Yep, we're going to head through Abyss," Claude smirked. "Teach had that planned just in case the worst happened. We should be able to escape there."

Bernadetta's eyes widened a bit. So Byleth had that much planned from the start? Guess it shouldn't have been too surprising. He and Claude had come with many brilliant plans that had lead to their victories in the past. Well, in any case though, she didn't have long to think it over. With a little help from Leonie, she made her way with the remainder of the students while Balthus and Constance covered their retreat.

Honestly, the Ashen Wolves had mostly kept to themselves even after Byleth briefly introduced them to the class. Their interactions had been somewhat limited, perhaps because the group preferred their little space and Byleth made use of their connections whenever possible. Although, the leader of the Ashen Wolves sent chills down Bernadetta's spine. He wasn't someone she wanted to see anytime soon.

Sadly, she didn't have time to think on that as the group was making their way towards the entrance that would take them to Abyss, the serious of endless corridors beneath Garreg Mach. With their navigators, they shouldn't have any problems, but it would be wise to stay on alert. Awaiting them were the leader himself, Yuri, and the unlucky one herself, Hapi.

"Welcome back to our abode," Yuri smirked. "So you swallowed your pride after all."

"Keep talking like that and I might have some choice words for you," Claude snapped back, though a little grin of his own stayed. There was a bit of an awkward connection between the two schemers.

"You two going to bicker or are we going to go?" Hapi deadpanned. "Not that I care I suppose."

With universal agreement, the group began following Yuri and Hapi quickly through Abyss' corridors. Perfect timing too as Balthus and Constance had been forced back as well from the incredible Imperial numbers. Bernadetta tried to keep pace on her own without Leonie's help, but it was clear she was having trouble with her injuries. Many of them were honestly, and the healers of the group were struggling to keep up. Mercedes was doing her best, but Marianne was at her limit as was Linhardt. Because of this, Bernadetta was startling to see her vision waver.

"Hey, don't keel over now," Yuri came back and grabbed one of her hands. "I don't think I could face Byleth if you went down especially."

"Y-Yuri!" Bernadetta suddenly cried out, actually surprising Leonie a bit with the sudden exclamation.

"Well, you look better now," Yuri smirked. "If I knew that was all it took, I would done so from the beginning."

"A-Ah...A-Ah..." Bernadetta stuttered, not really wanting to face this guy. Not him.

Turns out that the leader of the Ashen Wolves happened to be her own commoner friend that she assumed had been dead for years. Imagine that. On that note, while Bernadetta had overcome quite a few trials in regards to her relationships with others, he was a giant hurdle she had yet to overcome. The rogue that was once her friend terrified her, something that perplexed the man greatly.

"Oh brother, this is not the time," Yuri sighed, pulling her along faster. "Look, freak out later for all I care, but at least wait until you're in the carriage."

The corridor rumbled a bit, probably from those making sure the Imperials didn't enter Abyss. Can't have them invading the place willy-nilly at the very least. Bernadetta nearly got knocked off her feet but Yuri kept her upright. Honestly, she really wanted him to let go. There were so many other things on her mind, like finding out where Byleth was.

"But...Professor Byleth..." Bernadetta spoke as they made a turn.

"I heard what happened," Yuri said curtly. "It's unfortunate, but we need to worry about ourselves for now. Besides, wherever he is, I'm sure he can handle himself."

"B-But...what if he doesn't come?" Bernadetta actually got out a complete sentence. "What if he doesn't come back this time?! Like he's dead for sure?!"

Yuri's eyes widened a bit at the girl actually not crying out for her own sake, but rather out of worry for Byleth. It was a touching sentiment he had to admit, one that actually got a rare sincere smile out of him.

"Like I was dead?" Yuri spoke casually, surprising Bernadetta. "Perhaps you should have a little more faith. Granted, I'm not exactly a person of faith so what do I know."

"Yuri-bird, we're almost out," Hapi spoke, breaking up their talk. "But I think some Imperials are nearby. Might want to let Bernie-bear go here."

"Probably," Yuri said as he let Bernadetta go. "Let's make sure everyone is safe. We might need your monsters if necessary."

"You really shouldn't rely on that you know," Hapi gave him a little glare as he went onward.

Bernadetta was more confused.

"Bernie-bear?" she asked.

"Yeah. You spend all day in your room, right? So, Bernie-bear," she deadpanned.

Hapi had a penchant for nicknames, but Bernadetta couldn't help but feel a little indignation at her chosen name. Eh, whatever the case, they had more important things to do. They were near the chosen exit, making their way out into the sunlight again. As things would have it, much of the evacuation party was there. Granted, the place hadn't been spared from some fighting. Destruction and fire practically littered everywhere around Garreg Mach.

"Yours is right there, Bernadetta," Yuri pointed to one of the carriages. "Oh, and something you should know, you're not headed to House Varley's usual estate."

"Huh?" Bernadetta asked as she was making her way towards the carriage along with Caspar and Linhardt.

"Your father is under house arrest after all. Not very sporting to send you to live with someone like that," Yuri smirked. "So, they say you're going to the secondary estate."

Oh yeah, that was a thing. House Varley actually had a couple of homes across their large territory. The secondary one was pretty nice, albeit slightly smaller than the main one. Still, it was actually a pretty good plan. If she had to go back like this, at least she didn't have to deal with her disapproving dad.

"O-Oh...well thanks..." she said softly as she finished getting inside the covers, seeing Linhardt and Caspar inside as well along with many of the possessions from their rooms.

"Just remember, you shouldn't give up hope so easily," Yuri said as his sword was drawn, ready to head out. "That guy values you all too much for his own good."

At that, Yuri ran out to join Hapi alongside some others as they made sure to take down any enemies that happened to come by. The evacuees were beginning to go their separate ways. Leonie passed by Bernadetta's carriage and waved her good bye, riding off on her own horse to who knows where. Others headed off towards the north to the Kingdom and Alliance.

"Well, that was awful," Linhardt lazed about in the carriage, leaning back as he appeared to be very sleepy, even more than usual.

"Knock if off, Linhardt," Caspar groaned, hitting his fist on the floor beneath him. "Ugh, this bites. I can't go back like this. It's not right."

Bernadetta sat a bit aways from her two comrades, getting a bit of a view towards Garreg Mach. It nearly broke her heard to see it in such a state. Against all their hopes, they had failed to hold the Empire down. Even with the casualties suffered, this battle undoubtedly belonged to Edelgard. Sighing, Bernadetta looked among her own things. At least most of the stuff she cared about was brought along with her, with one in particular.

A half-done bear, somewhat in Byleth's image, laid before her. A project she had hoped to present to Byleth upon graduation. Something that, in the end, she wasn't able to do so.

Holding the bear against her chest tightly, Bernadetta once again looked towards the fading monastery, a tear threatening to fall from her right eye. For now, gone was the place she had come to call home. Gone was the place where she formed so many friendships. Gone was the professor who gave her so much courage. She wasn't sure if she could dare to hope at this point, but she supposed it really was all she could do at this point.

Still, in spite of that, she sniffled as she drew her face away from the sight and curled up, her own little spot of solitude. It would be the last she would see of her beloved professor for many years.

* * *

**FINALLY, it's done! After so much procrastination! :D**

**So, this chapter really changed a bit over time as I kept on thinking over how to do things. Still, I quite like how it turned out.**

**And of course, I'm happy to introduce the debut of the Ashen Wolves in this fic! I honestly didn't intend to include them originally, but I ended up loving all 4 of them after playing through Cindered Shadows so much that I ended up having to. Turns out writing for them is a lot of fun. Yuri's connection to Bernadetta makes it all the better.**

**And yes, given Hapi's capacity for nicknames, I am headcannoning that she comes up with Bernadetta's "Bernie-bear" nickname. You cannot convince me otherwise. :D**

**And with that, the pre-timeskip chapters are all done. Post-timeskip is pretty open right now so I open it all to you faithful readers if you'd like to chip in with something you'd be interested in seeing. If it fits, you might just see me write about it. Your call. :)**

**Welp, I've taken enough of your time. Thank you all. Sentinel07, signing out!**


	6. What Might Have Been and What Could Be

**Hello everyone!**

**Nothing too special to say here. Thanks as usual for the reviews, favorites, and all that good stuff. :)**

**In any case, we'll see how this chapter goes. Bit of an out-there concept but we'll see.**

**I own nothing as usual.**

**LET'S BEGIN!**

* * *

**What Might Have Been and What Could Be**

**Imperial Year 1185, Day 24 of the Ethereal Moon**

"All right, that's all for now," Byleth smiled as she gathered the papers she had and put them down neatly. "I'll see you all for afternoon class later."

"Thanks, Professor Byleth!" the class chanted at once as they began to gather their things.

Byleth couldn't help but chuckle a bit. Sometimes he couldn't tell if they were genuine or messing with him when they did that. Still, it was all in good fun for everyone involved. Guess the reputation he had gained over the years preceded him a little bit. The very idea that so many people liked to study under him was still a bizarre thought even to this day. Heck, even right now, some of the students were lining up to ask him some more questions briefly before heading off for lunch period. And as luck would have it, he often got the really enthusiastic ones. Still, he was glad to be of help one way or another.

Nearly 5 full years of teaching now, and he was probably the most prized professor at the Officer's Academy now. He along with Manuela and Hanneman will still the primary professors of the three houses, and their experiences with each of those houses had helped to build up the academy's reputation even higher than it was before. The three of them changed up which house they took each year, giving them each a new perspective each year. It made the rivalry between the three professors all the more genuine, and even gave new students each year something to look forward to.

In any case, as Byleth finally got through the long line of questions from his inquisitive students, he was left to his own devices. Although, seeing the dates on the papers he collected, he was reminded of what was coming, and he smiled at the thought.

"Tomorrow's the day," he said.

Tomorrow, Garreg Mach would celebrate the one thousandth year of its founding, and the Millennium Festival would kick off as the grandest all-day affair in Fodlan's history. Naturally, the place had been abuzz with preparations for weeks now, but on the eve of the big day, it was really kicking in to Byleth at just how much time had passed. Five years ago, he was just a mercenary with his father. Now he was acclaimed all throughout Fodlan, as much as he wouldn't have minded being a little less well known. Celebrity life ain't easy after all.

Welp, he wasn't going to get anything done standing here. There wasn't too much grading to do so he had a little time to spare himself. Perhaps he could take a look around to see how the preparations were going, or perhaps check in with the other professors and instructors around.

Actually, speaking of which...yeah, that sounded like a good idea

* * *

The market place was perhaps the most abuzz place in regards to preparations for the Millennium Festival. One could call it a treasure trove for merchants what with the amount of materials needed. Still, it was quite a sight, one that was being captured in art at this very moment.

"Let's see...maybe crimson would highlight the scenery better...but then again, I could...nah, that one's perfect."

The young woman continued her painting, sitting where she had a bird's eye view of the spectacle down below. It seemed like too perfect of a chance to miss, given the once-in-a-lifetime gathering here. Even the previous celebrations of Garreg Mach's founding paled in comparison. She already had quite a few paintings around, a couple that had actually been hung up around the Monastery to her slight embarrassment. Still, seeing that so many people liked them, with one in particular being a big fan, filled her with happiness.

Honestly, she was just glad she could finally get this finished, and just in time for the big day too. With classes and all, she was worried she might not get enough time to do so, yet here she was, almost done.

"Hello Bernadetta."

Long ago, getting talked to out of nowhere would have like sent the former Varley heir into a panic, but having spent years with the owner of that voice, she smiled and looked behind her.

"Oh, good day Byleth," she said as she uncrossed her legs. "Already done with morning class?"

"Quite a while ago actually. It's nearly time for lunch," Byleth smiled back as he walked up the hill to her. "How long have you been out here?"

"Oh not long...just...maybe a couple...hours..." Bernadetta blushed a bit, but her shy smile didn't leave. "I just didn't want to miss this opportunity before my class."

"I imagine so," Byleth replied. "So, is it ready?"

"I just finished the last stroke," Bernadetta said as she got up, grabbing her canvas. "What do you think?"

As one would expect from Bernadetta, Byleth was blown away by the style of the art. Bernadetta really had a talent for adding vibrant colors to just about anything she put her mind to. If anything, even the hustle and bustle of the festivities paled in comparison to her interpretation. Byleth couldn't help but smile proudly at it.

"I'd say reality pales in comparison to your vision," Byleth said.

Bernadetta flinched and blushed a little, though her own smile remained.

"When did you get good at flattery?" she said with a light giggle. "That's so unlike you."

"Being around people for a few years does that," Byleth chuckled slightly. "What about you actually accepting compliments now instead of panicking?"

"Hey, I'll have you know it's been five moons since my last panic attack!" Bernadetta pouted indignantly. "I don't do it nearly as often."

"That is true," Byleth smiled.

He looked Bernadetta over as she turned her head and gave her painting another look through. Honestly, she differed in so many ways compared to the wall flower she was when she first came to Garreg Mach. Physically, she had matured beautifully, growing into quite the young woman with the growth spurt she had. Her hair, about as short as ever, was neater and currently tied back into a small ponytail for whenever she did work. In other ways, she seemed to be much more comfortable around everyone, actually allowing people to see her work, even if the glowing praise she often got could still put her into an embarrassed mess every now and then.

"THERE YOU ARE!" A loud booming voice suddenly rang out, startling both of them a little bit.

Of course, it only took them another second to realize it was Alois, making them both smile. He and some of the other Knights of Seiros had been on an extended mission of late. Something else dealing with the Western Church or whatever. They never could play nice for very long, couldn't they? Well, in any case, Alois had been gone for at least a couple months so it was nice seeing them again. The guy hadn't changed on bit in five years.

"Hello Alois," Byleth greeted the knight. "Nice to see you returned."

"Never been happier to be back!" Alois laughed as he one-arm hugged Byleth. "Wouldn't miss this event for the world. Why, even my wife and daughter will be here shortly to partake in the festivities."

"That's great to hear," Byleth nodded.

And of course, Alois didn't miss the chance to wrap his other arm around Bernadetta. Years ago, such an action would have made her panic, but now it just made her laugh along with him.

"Of course, I wouldn't forget you! Ho ho ho!" Alois laughed. "How have you been doing? Any new stories or works of art? I'd be dying to see the latest from one of Garreg Mach's most talented."

"Alois...you don't have to go that far," Bernadetta blushed but smiled. "I'm not that talented..."

"Oh, and I suppose the books you've written and the paintings hung up in the main hall are just for show?" Alois chuckled. "You and Byleth are perhaps the best things to happen to Garreg Mach in some time if I do say so myself."

Byleth smiled a bit at that. He never liked to gloat about any of his accomplishments since coming here, though everyone else sure seemed to think he truly was that influential. It was just that he truly came to enjoy bringing up these students year after year. However, he felt what he had done paled in comparison to Bernadetta's own accomplishments.

Truly, Bernadetta's talents had shined over the past few years. In addition to the aforementioned paintings she did, much of her time had actually gone into writing. After a lot of persuasion, the story she showed off to the class just before the Battle of Garreg Mach actually ended up getting published. It had become a favorite among children especially, and many orphans liked hearing her read passages out loud to them, sometimes against her will I might add. Since then, she had written a second book and was working on a third, never being short on material to work with given everything she had to do. Heck, some young girls would actually seek her out if their dolls got broken or clothes got torn. It added up to not a lot of alone time for the young lady.

Oh, and because of Seteth, she taught a class too, which absolutely wasn't part of the plan. Byleth and Bernadetta could remember that day as if it had happened yesterday.

_Flashback- Two years ago_

"You want me...to leave?" Bernadetta asked out of the blue.

"That's not what I'm asking at all," Seteth clarified, sitting in his office chair while Bernadetta and Byleth stood before him. "However, what I am saying is that something needs to be done, Bernadetta. You've been here a few years now, and given your age, it's hard to just pass you off as an assistant now."

"..." Bernadetta mumbled to herself a bit, feeling a little small in Seteth's presence.

Seteth crossed his arms after he spoke, though he actually broke a small smile.

"Bernadetta, I know as well as anyone else how talented you are. I said as much myself back during your first year. There's little doubt Garreg Mach is a great place for your talents," he said as he closed his eyes for a second. "However, we can't keep just anyone who wants to stay. They need to contribute more. Hence, I wanted to discuss your options with you."

"Like...what?" Bernadetta asked, her clasped hands tightening a bit.

Byleth had come along for whatever emotional support she might need, though he didn't want to intervene unless necessary. He felt she could handle this.

"Well, your first couple options could be to join the Church of Seiros naturally, or join the Knights," Seteth said, before smiling a bit. "Though, I don't think either option is appealing to you."

That was true enough. Bernadetta wasn't exactly the pious type to be a nun, and joining the Knights was, while not a horrible idea, not something she'd pick first.

"And?" Bernadetta asked.

"Those options aside, it might be best for you to stay affiliated with the Officer's Academy, given that's where you've been and are most comfortable," Seteth continued. "You are very skilled with a bow and quite resourceful. I think with a little confidence you could be a good instructor."

"W-What?! Me?! An instructor?!" Bernadetta cried out, face completely red. "I don't..."

"The choice is yours obviously," Seteth continued. "I don't want to rush you, but I'd prefer you make a choice quickly."

After that, Byleth and Bernadetta took their leave of Seteth's office, neither speaking much as they were making their way to the stairs to head back to ground level.

"What should I do, Professor?" Bernadetta asked, a bit calmer than she was before. "I mean, I think I've grown a bit more in these past few years, but...me instructing others? That's a lot to ask for."

"Well, only you can really make the choice," Byleth replied after taking a second. "If you want my opinion, I think you can do it."

"Really?" Bernadetta perked up, a little surprised at that. "You mean that?"

"Of course. You've seen me doing it for a while now, and the students always seem to like you," Byleth smiled. "Plus, Seteth is right. You have talent as an archer, and I don't think anyone knows as much about personal safety as you do."

"Oh well I..." Bernadetta actually blushed and giggled a bit before stopping suddenly. "Wait, was that a tease?!"

Byleth just chuckled as he continued down the stairs, leaving a flustered Bernadetta calling him to clarify that statement.

_Flashback End_

In the end, Bernadetta did accept becoming an instructor with a little more work. Her good grades during her year as a student served her well in that regard to get accepted, and she was now in the later years of her second year. Of course, with this along with the aforementioned things she got called upon for, it actually meant she was outside of her room for long stretches of time, something that both amused and vexed her at the same time.

"Really, with you leading the students and Bernadetta helping out with the residents, I think you've helped improve many lives here," smiled Alois.

"And Professor Manuela appreciates less students in the infirmary," Byleth added. "She told me the amount of students needing treatment got cut in half after Bernadetta started teaching."

"Ha ha! Of course! Who would know personal safety more than her! Hmmhmm!" Alois chuckled.

All of these statements just served to make Bernadetta's face get even redder.

"Would you please stop saying that?!" she said. "I swear, you're either praising me or mocking me and I can't tell which."

"Why praising you of course," said Alois, patting her on the shoulder before turning to Byleth. "Well Byleth, it's been great seeing you again. I should go make my report to Lady Rhea now."

"Of course. Good seeing you, Alois," Byleth shook his head before the senior knight took his leave.

Bernadetta waved good bye as he left, which gave her enough time to actually calm down. Honestly, this little ribbing she had to endure on occasion wasn't all that bad. Heck, it was her two favorite people in the world basically so it wasn't too bad. Plus, seeing her old professor actually become more expressive over the years actually made talking with him more exciting. Likewise, Byleth also found it easier to talk with her once she began to find it a little easier to express herself. It wasn't easy of course. The first year after graduation still required trying to coax the little recluse out of her room, which she got to keep actually. Over time, Byleth didn't need to do it as often, as Bernadetta actually found herself going all over Garreg Mach for various reasons, be it people wanting her help or looking for inspiration of which there was no shortage of.

"In any case, would you like to head to the dining hall with me, Bernie?" Byleth asked.

"Sure," Bernadetta smiled. "Just let me take my painting back to my room first and I'll meet you there."

Byleth watched Bernadetta as she left, before turning once more to the market. Though, for a brief second, he could have almost sworn he saw the place in ruins, with flames all around. However, another blink took care of that, making him shake his head. He groaned, as that sort of thing tended to happen from time to time and he wasn't sure why. Well, not like it was the first time something weird happened to him. In any case, he began to make his way inside.

Unbeknownst to him, sitting atop the Monastery and looking down at him, a green-haired girl looked on in worry.

* * *

Byleth went ahead to the dining hall, seeing it as lively as ever. The cooks made sure to keep plenty of stock on hand for the increased amount of people around the Monastery, a wise choice of action given how many people were sitting around right now. That being said, Byleth had a feeling Bernadetta probably had something of her own to bring, as she typically liked to bring whatever she happened to make for them to share.

Naturally, it wasn't too long before the young lady came back, smiling as she was carrying something.

"Sorry it took me a while," she said as she sat down. "I should really clean my room one of these days."

"I shouldn't have to tell a young woman to clean her room, right?" Byleth smiled, chuckling slightly.

"Hey! I've gotten better!" Bernadetta blushed. "I'm not in my room as often these days you know."

"I know," Byleth said as Bernadetta opened what she had brought. "Oh? And what are these?"

"Some crepes I made. I tinkered with the recipe a bit so I hope you like them," Bernadetta smiled. "I've been trying to expand my cookbook a bit. I never realized how many other types of food there were."

"Another benefit of getting out in the world I'm sure," Byleth smiled as he took one of them, biting into it without hesitation. "Hm, delicious as always."

"T-Thanks!" Bernadetta smiled again, taking one for herself. "Hmm, it's pretty good...maybe next time I could..."

Byleth looked on warmly as Bernadetta mumbled to herself on what she could do for next time. He quite enjoyed how much more often she seemed to be whenever she got a little lost in her head, when such things before would be too embarrassing for her to ever do publicly. It was nice to be sure.

"Well, hello there, Teach!"

A very familiar greeting suddenly went through the dining hall, bringing Byleth's attention the entrance. Standing in full glory was none other than the Leicester Alliance's leader of a couple years now, Claude, looking as gallant as ever in his new garb. He seemed to have quite the entourage with him as well, as not only was Hilda with him as usual, but he also had apparently brought Annette, Dorothea, and Petra along for the ride. Probably the biggest surprise was Lysithea, who was looking as grumpy as ever.

"Claude, nice to see you," Byleth got up with a smile, shaking the young leader's hand. Of course, he couldn't help but notice the party. "Got some ladies on both arms, I see."

"Ah, you've seen right through my ingenious plan," Claude chuckled and winked, putting his arms out dramatically. "Yes, as you can see, I have assembled a group of the finest ladies Fodlan has to ever. My conquest is inevitable."

Such words got giggles from Hilda and Annette, Lysithea huffed and turned her head, while Dorothea just rolled her eyes and smiled. Petra on the other hand looked confused.

"Right, of course," Dorothea said. "We just happened to cross paths on the way here. Anyway, it's great to see you, Professor."

"Likewise," Byleth smiled as he greeted her, before getting hugged by Annette.

"It's been way too long!" she giggled, before looking at Bernadetta. "Oh! I hope we weren't interrupting something."

"N-No, it's okay," Bernadetta shook her head a bit, smiling as she gestured to the food. "Um...you want to have some?"

"An invitation from Bernadetta herself? My does time change things," Claude noted. "But far be it from me to turn down free food. It was quite the trip to make it here."

"Claude, we weren't traveling that long," Hilda giggled. "Plus, you just rode your wyvern the whole way here and barely even walked."

"Details," Claude shrugged as he helped himself to one of the crepes. "Hmmhmm, now that is some good cooking."

Claude's ringing endorsement lead to the entourage of ladies all sharing some bites themselves, making Bernadetta blush a bit at how fast they dug in. Byleth couldn't help but smile at the sight. It almost felt like they were all students again.

"So yummy!" Annette smiled. "Seriously Bernadetta, what is your secret? You always have such great food whenever we come by."

"Oh, it's nothing," Bernadetta looked wistfully. "It's just..."

"I bet she fills them with love," Dorothea smiled. "It's really the best ingredient."

"WHAT?!" Bernadetta blushed madly. "W-What are you talking about?!"

"I'm confused. How does one fill food with love? I did not realize love was a physical object," Petra asked. "Or is that a saying of Fodlan?"

"Ooooh, that would make a great tagline!" Annette giggled. "If she sold these on the market, they'd sell out in seconds. Something like..."Bernie's Love-Filled Crepes"...Hey. I like that idea!"

"Marvelous idea!" Dorothea smiled as she got in on it.

"I know a good merchant or two that'd be interested," chipped in Hilda. "Or Raphael's inn."

Byleth just shook his head. Truly, five years hadn't stamped out the vitality of his students, not that it was a bad thing or anything of the sort. If anything, it was nice to see adulthood was treating them well. On the other hand, Bernadetta looked like she was going to explode.

"NO! Don't do that!" she cried back, up on her feet now. "Everyone will get the wrong idea!"

"I don't know, Bernadetta," Claude shrugged. "Once they have an idea, it's hard to stop them."

As Bernadetta tried in vain to make the group of girls re-evaluate their thought process, Byleth just helped himself. To be perfectly honest though, he had come to appreciate how he and her had these little times together. She helped out in the kitchen plenty of times, but when she was just doing something for the two of them seemed to be when she really shined. Like everything, they were a little awkward at first, but they soon became second nature. Bernadetta often used these meals together to go on about what she had gotten roped into next or whatever ideas she had for a book or painting. Made him glad that everything worked out in the Battle of Garreg Mach give years ago.

Or did it? Honestly his memory kind of fizzled around those events, though he had little reason to question them. Wouldn't be the first time his memory didn't exactly work out. At the least, what he had in front of him was more than enough to offset any lingering memory issues.

_**"This can't go on."**_

Byleth's eyes perked up a little as he thought he heard a soft voice, which disappeared as quickly as it came. It kind of sounded familiar too. Before Byleth could dwell much on it, he was brought back to the chaos in front of him.

"Byleth, help me!" Bernadetta cried out.

Oh boy. Guess it was time for mediation. Turns out Byleth still needed to play the role when it came to his chaotic former students. Bernadetta looked like she was on the verge of freaking out while Claude, Hilda, and Dorothea just kept laughing at it. Although, their laughing was interrupted by Annette.

"Hey, where did the rest of the crepes go?" she asked.

Turns out the plate had mysteriously been wiped clean, and some munching was heard right next to Annette, causing everyone to look to her left, straight at a snacking Lysithea.

"What?"

* * *

As she had done all this time, Sothis looked down as Byleth interacted with his former students in the dining hall. It was a nice, tranquil scene, but the divine being couldn't exactly feel happy for it.

"How many has it been now?" she asked herself. Time was something she was never good at keeping track of.

Still, she couldn't bring herself to disrupt it, no matter how much a part of her wanted to bring him out of it. That would be something for him to decide when the time came. All the same, seeing a world that was this living and breathing, writing its own history...was this another effect of her powers? Hard to say for sure. She was curious all the same though.

Would this serve a purpose of its own perhaps? That remained on her mind all throughout the day as Byleth went about his daily duties, assisting with the preparations with the festivities in spite of the occasionally wavering reality before him. Byleth could shake it off, but not her. This was about to end like the others before it. Still, she was curious all the same if the day would have its own revelations.

* * *

_The Next Day_

If you couldn't hear the sounds of celebration coming from Garreg Mach from anywhere in Fodlan, you simply weren't listening hard enough. Byleth couldn't imagine a grander event if he had tried, given that even the start of the day was given its own celebration, much to everyone's delight and slight groaning at being woken up so early. Still, any such apprehension was quickly whipped away into the day and night-long festivities.

Byleth, of course, was no exception, with just about everyone wanting to have a talk with him somehow. It reminded him a lot of how exhausted he felt after his first ball here all those years ago. Sometimes his popularity was too much even for him. Still, it was nice all the same, especially considering that not only did Claude come, but the entire Golden Deer house of that year came by as promised. Byleth honestly wasn't sure given how many of them had already taken up being lords of their houses or at the least were on the verge of doing so. Yet, here they all were, and he couldn't be happier.

And at this moment, he was helping to move something through the Dining Hall to clear a little extra room.

"Here, let me help you, Professor,"

This time, the helper of the hour was Sylvain, who had predictably arrived later than much of the others, something Ingrid spent a good half hour chewing him out for much to the amusement of the other former Blue Lions members. In fact, Byleth was pretty sure his ear was still red from her pulling on him, even hours after she had done it.

"You really don't need to call me that anymore," Byleth shook his head as they were finishing up. "Bernadetta doesn't do it anymore."

"Only because she's the only one who stayed here with you," Sylvain chuckled. "It's hard for me to see you as anyone other than our professor. Bernadetta's the lucky one. Seeing her still here is kind of bizarre, though I'm not complaining. You hear what I got yesterday?"

"Let me guess, an autograph?" Byleth said about as deadpan as he possibly could, much to Sylvain's chagrin.

"Heh, that predictable huh?" he said.

Sylvain had visited Garreg Mach a couple times over the years, and each time he did so, he tried to get Bernadetta to sign a copy of whichever of her books he had brought this time. It was always the usual "I want to get this for a nice girl" or some other excuse he could concoct. They didn't think he was lying, but Byleth was sure Sylvain just did it to show support in his own way. He was one of the people to originally propose she get her story published in the first place after all. Still, getting Bernadetta to agree with it was about as hard as anything at first.

First time he asked her, she was sure he was trying to sign her into some form of contract. Second time, she thought he was trying to blackmail her. Not like Sylvain's reputation had gotten much better since taking over House Gautier. Thankfully now Bernadetta had no problems around him just like their other former classmates, and Byleth had a sense she probably agreed at once this time just to get him away.

"Are these girls you're getting the books for real?" Byleth asked, the corner of his lips slowly curving up.

"Ouch, when did your wit get so sharp?" Sylvain chuckled again. "But no, I'll have you know these girls are very real."

Byleth smirked a little as the two finished up, though Sylvain didn't quite want to let him go yet.

"Hold on Professor," he winked. "I'm not finished yet."

"With what?" Byleth asked.

"I got a question for ya," Sylvain continued, his tone still light but with a little seriousness that was a little unusual of him. "How do you feel about Bernadetta personally?"

"How do I feel about her?" Byleth asked, eyebrow raised slightly. "How do you mean?"

"Come on Professor, you can't be that dense can ya?" Sylvain chuckled. "The two of you have been tight for so long. Even before graduation, you were with her a lot."

"She was my student, just as you were," Byleth replied. "I would that that's natural."

"Maybe, but you two always seemed even tighter than that. She was one of the first to transfer to your house after all, not too long after I joined," Sylvain continued, his smile not going away. "And she always had a certain glimmer in her eyes when talking with you. Trust me, I know how a girl thinks."

_"I don't think so,"_ Byleth thought, but kept those words to himself. "Why are you so interested in that year all of a sudden?"

"Oh just food for thought," Sylvain shrugged. "I think rethinking that year over might be good for you. Unlike a scoundrel like me, you got something special."

Sylvain gave Byleth a little pat on the shoulder, giving that his usual smile that Byleth could never figure was genuine or fake. Sylvain was always a pretty hard one to get a read on despite his flimsy behavior. After he did so, Sylvain went behind Byleth and continued to walk off. However, Byleth wasn't completely done with him.

"What did you mean by...Huh?" Byleth asked as he turned around, suddenly seeing Sylvain gone. "Where did he go?"

He couldn't have had time to already walk out of sight. Where could he have gone to so quickly? Honestly, in spite of the festivities going on, Byleth couldn't help but feel a little strange. It was almost like those dizzy spells he had during that first year at the Academy, and like he was seeing things that weren't really there. Still, it wasn't something he couldn't handle.

**"Hurry up and figure it out. Before you run out of time."**

There was that familiar voice again. This seemed to be becoming a lot more frequent of late. He was really no closer to figuring how who it was, nor why he felt like he was seeing things that weren't there. It was enough to cause a headache honestly.

Still, as someone else called his name, those thoughts were once again pushed away. The daytime festivities were barely getting going after all.

* * *

If possible, as the day approached its midpoint, the place just seemed to get even louder. Truth be told, Byleth wasn't entirely sure what to expect from such an event. Whatever he had expected, it couldn't hold a candle to how it had actually turned out. The whole Monastery was decked out like a grand party, with the usual marketplace now being filled to the brim with families trying out various games and events. It made for a far more welcoming atmosphere than one would normally expect from this place, and Byleth found himself getting pulled from place to place by various people, mostly thanks to his old students.

"Ahh, I love this!" Hilda cheered as she stretched her arms. "A whole day to not have to worry about anything!"

"Isn't that how your days usually are?" Lorenz said off-hand as he was tending to some delicacies he got. "I hear Lord Holst has been trying to get you to handle some of House Goneril's diplomatic matters."

Byleth's ears were filled with their constant banter. It really was like not much had changed, which was rather comforting in its own right. He wasn't really trying out any of the various activities himself, satisfying with hanging by and watching, which prompted Hilda to say he was acting like the group dad. To be fair, at least he had company, as Bernadetta was sticking by him, currently helping herself to a candied apple.

"You sure you don't want to do anything?" Byleth asked her, helping himself to his own treat. "You don't need to stay here for my sake."

"Oh it's okay," Bernadetta replied, her face a little red. "You know me...I was never one for physical activities."

A loud sound nearly made her jump after that, getting them both to look over to the side. It was one of those contraptions where you hit something really hard and try to make it go up as high as possible, to which Raphael was helping himself to. Actually, this was about the fifth time he had done it, and he was getting better each time to the point where it was kind of scaring off others. Ignatz and Maya seemed to like it enough though, with the latter constantly cheering him on.

"I suppose that..." Byleth began to say.

"BYLETH!" cheered a very loud voice, belonging to a certain orange-haired mercenary. "Ah, finally found you! Oh, and Bernie's with you. Even more perfect!"

Leonie had been extremely active over the course of the whole festival, never stopping as she helped with preparations and partaking. Byleth could rarely get a glimpse of her before she had moved on to something else. And judging from the look on her face, she wasn't stopping any time soon.

"Wait, what about me?" Bernadetta asked.

"They got this cool archery game over on the west side," Leonie pointed over in its direction. "And I'd like a little competition."

"Oh no, I'd rather not..." Bernadetta put her hands up, wanting to stay out of it.

"Too late!" Leonie grabbed her hand, pulling her along despite her protests. "Ignatz, you too!"

"M-Me?!" the bespectacled archer spoke before Leonie started pulling him along too.

Byleth couldn't help but chuckle a little even as Bernadetta cried out for help. Curious, he did end up coming along after excusing himself from the others. Honestly, as he was going along with them, Sylvain's words were still stuck in his head. He really hadn't given his relationship with Bernadetta all that much thought before. She was both a former student and a friend to be sure, one he got along with decently well even before she moved over to the Golden Deer house. He had seen her grow into a fine young woman who was pursuing her own dream and making lots of friends of her own.

He was so wrapped up in his thoughts about her that he almost didn't notice they had stopped, in which Leonie was setting them all up for the game, clearly a lot more enthused than the other two. Looked like the game was all about scoring points depending on where the arrows landed, and Leonie wanted to get all her old archer classmates for it. This explained why Ashe was already there, sheepishly waving at them.

Bernadetta didn't seem like she really wanted to do it, but as she looked over at Byleth, she did give him a small smile. Seeing her getting ready to shoot really did bring back some old memories, particularly when he would help her with her archery. She was already decent when she came to the academy, so seeing how far she had come along in that regard was really something.

The game started off slow, but really got rolling after a few rounds. Leonie was actually shooting the best so far, though Bernadetta seemed to close the gap just when it seemed like it was beginning to get away.

"How are they still going?" Ignatz questioned, having bowed out a little early. He was quite a bit out of practice. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised at Leonie with her line of work, but Bernadetta's really holding up."

"She's plenty strong," Byleth remarked. "And the two of them have become good friends. I think even Bernadetta has a little bit of a competitive side every now and then."

"Heh, must be your doing," Ignatz laughed a bit. "It might not be my place to say, but I think she wants to impress you."

"Hmm?" Byleth hummed a bit, getting a similar feeling to what Sylvain was saying earlier.

Truthfully, Bernadetta was stealing glances at him every now and then between rounds. As quick as she could be, she wasn't quick enough to get past his eyes. Granted, after a few times, their eyes locked for a second, making Bernadetta blush and smile slightly before going back to her game. Somehow, seeing that small and simple gesture made Byleth pause for a second. He had never really thought about it before, how seeing her smile was one of the most beautiful sights he had seen. Was it Sylvain who put that thought in his head? Because it was really getting hard to not think about it. Still, it wasn't exactly a bad thought...

"AAGH!" Byleth's internal thoughts were interrupted by Leonie's sudden cry. "Missed it by that much!"

Leonie's crying was followed by some sheepish laughter as Byleth looked at their targets. Bernadetta's most recent arrow just barely went inside of Leonie's.

"So very close," Leonie continued to laugh as she patted Bernadetta's shoulder. "Great job, Bernie. I thought I had you a good few times but you kept coming back."

"Oh, I'm sure it was just luck," Bernadetta blushed a bit, though her small smile remained. "You were clearing each round easily while I was squeaking by."

"Yet you ended up with more in the end," Leonie said before she passed something over. "Well, to the winner go the spoils."

Looks like there was a prize for winning, that being the stuffed bear Leonie was holding out. It had a design Byleth couldn't quite describe. There were certain aesthetics out there that he really just couldn't figure out. It's new owner seemed to take an immediate liking to it though, as Bernadetta grabbed the bear, hugging it close before flashing another smile at Byleth.

For that instant, it looked like there was no one in his field of vision but her. It took a little prodding from Ignatz to finally bring him back to reality, but even after that he couldn't get that image out of his mind.

Didn't help that this little victory actually made Bernadetta curious to try out a couple other things, resulting in her tugging on his sleeve for a good while.

* * *

By the time nightfall finally came by, Byleth was already nearing exhaustion. Forget every previous event at the Monastery he had been at, this was by far the most tiring, and they hadn't even gotten to the evening festivities yet, though at least that would be a little bit slower.

Still, the day was quite fun, and Byleth couldn't really get away from Bernadetta at all once she got rolling. That archery game was just the start, and that got her interested in seeing what else was around. Byleth kind of ended up going with the flow for the most part, enjoying how happy she seemed to be the whole time. Seeing the girl that used to be so afraid of the outside enjoying a time like that actually made him feel a little proud.

Course, that didn't seem to be all he was feeling. That strange sensation he felt earlier still lingered, and often came about whenever Bernadetta looked at him. It wasn't a bad feeling, but he wasn't sure what it was all the same. He basically just went along with it throughout the day since he didn't find it to be a hindrance, although he noticed after a while that, after Bernadetta had been tugging him around for a bit, that his hand had ended up in hers after a while. Furthermore, it took Bernadetta a little while to notice it until she went red in the face after noticing.

Oh, and this wasn't lost on his other old students.

"Professor, you seem to be much closer to Bernadetta these days," Ferdinand said as they were walking towards the Reception Hall.

"Indeed, it was quite touching to watch as she pulled you all over the festival," Lorenz chuckled. "I dare say I've never seen two people more perfectly suited for each other."

"Oh, I suppose that means you still haven't found someone yourself," Ferdinand chuckled, getting a rather dirty look from Lorenz.

Byleth never exactly looked forward to these two butting heads over who was closer to getting engaged these days. As much as Byleth loved hearing stories from what his students were up to, this was not a topic he particularly liked hearing, partially because it'd end up coming back to him more often than not. Byleth had been asked many times now whether he was considering taking a bride one of these days, if not from one of the nobles then from Alois at the least. He wasn't particularly sure about that, though he supposed he could understand, being around 25 to this point. Heck, Dorothea really got on him about it the last time she came by. She sure hadn't changed at all.

That aside, one other thing eating away a little at Byleth was his attire. Unlike all the previous balls where everyone stuck to their uniforms, people were actually dressing up for this one, and that included Byleth himself whether he wanted to or not. Ferdinand and Lorenz actually "helped" in that category, getting Byleth a pretty good suit all things considered, not that he ever asked for one. Guess he should have figured they of all people would think of that. The girls were naturally all dressed up as well, very pleasantly Byleth might add. Though, some complained more than others...

"Why am I wearing this?" Lysithea grumbled as she fiddled with her lavender dress. "I would have been better off in my own clothes."

"Come on Lysithea! It looks great on you!" Hilda cheered, her own dress complimenting her eyes and hair. "You look very dignified and mature. You like that, right?"

"Grrr..." Lysithea continued to groan.

Byleth couldn't help but sweatdrop a little, but it seemed like everyone was getting into the spirit of things. Annette and Mercedes were actually at the forefront, adorned in respective yellow and sky blue dresses, welcoming people in the Reception Hall. Thankfully it wasn't just the hall that was being used, as there were way too many people for it, so some of the other more wide open areas were being used as well to spread it out. Even the marketplace that had just been full of party games had been swapped out to join in on the nighttime festivities.

"Hi Professor!" Annette waved as he was walking by.

"Do have fun," Mercedes smiled as well.

Byleth, with the two noble men still walking with him, greeted them back before walking in, seeing what had been concocted this time, and it was a stunning sight to behold. Much like before, the tables were off to the side to allow for a wide dancing area. What really made it stand out though was the ceiling, which instead of looking like it did normally, instead looked like the night sky outside. Ferdinand and Lorenz were floored by that particular aspect.

"What sort of magic is this?!" Ferdinand asked. "It's extraordinary."

"I'd guess it's Constance," Byleth replied. "This wouldn't be the first time she lit up a ceiling."

"You are most correct, Professor dear. Ha ha!" came the confidence voice of Constance, clad in a stunning dress herself. "Quite impressive, no? This will truly be a night not forgotten soon."

Byleth couldn't help but agree. Constance had conjured some incredible magic over the past few years and this was no exception. After learning that the other former Wolves were off doing their own thing, Constance left to enjoy the buffet, though not before Ferdinand decided to join her to which Byleth couldn't tell if it was appreciated or not. Lorenz also excused himself to do some fraternizing himself, leaving Byleth on his own for the time being. Not that being by himself really bothered him.

Claude and his entourage arrived not too long afterwards, followed by a steady stream of other familiar faces. It did make Byleth a little sad that Dimitri wasn't going to show, or also Edelgard...

Byleth grunted a bit as an aching feeling suddenly went through his head, making him feel a little woozy. Somehow, thinking of Edelgard made his head hurt. What...was she doing now? For some reason, his brain couldn't concoct an answer. Come to think of it, Rhea wasn't here either, and thinking about her confused him even more. For a time, it was like he was seeing double vision. One second he could see the party before him...and then the next it was like nothing but fire and destruction.

"Professor! You alright?!" cried a female voice, snapping Byleth out of it. "You looked like you were in pain."

Catching his breath, Byleth turned to see Dorothea looking at him, looking extravagant herself. She looked really done up, as one would expect from her, not that there was any problem with that.

"Yeah...I'm fine," Byleth sighed. "Probably just a little exhaustion."

"You really should consider a vacation sometime," Dorothea's smile returned. "Every time I stop by, you're busy with something class-related or Church-related. You should ask Seteth for vacation time."

"I don't know if I can do that. He probably wouldn't allow it," Byleth smiled a little, feeling a little better now.

"Probably," Dorothea giggled slightly. "Oh, you should go find Bernadetta. I helped her with her outfit, but she might need a little help."

"Oh, okay," Byleth replied, letting Dorothea be on her way.

Well, if he knew Bernadetta, she probably was hanging either just outside the hall or in her room. A quick look around the hall revealed that she wasn't there, and she didn't seem to be around the immediate area either. That narrowed things down quite a bit, and before he knew it, Byleth was walking the familiar path to Bernadetta's room. It didn't take him long to know she was in there, so he knocked on the door.

"Bernadetta?" Byleth asked.

"Byleth..." It was definitely her, though she didn't sound surprised. "I'm sorry...just...really nervous about a lot of things."

"I understand," Byleth nodded to himself. "I don't want to force you. I know big gatherings are still a hurdle for you. But...I'd really like it if you joined me."

There was no response for a while, though Byleth eventually began to hear some shuffling in the room, meaning she was at least up and about. He couldn't quite tell what exactly she was doing though. After a minute, the door finally began to open.

"Sorry," Bernadetta slowly poked her head out. "Just...had to tidy up."

To say Byleth was surprised would be an understatement. He had never seen Bernadetta dressed up before, since all the students just wore their uniforms back then and she didn't take part in any sense. Seeing her as she was now though, well Lorenz would surely say she looked the part of nobility. Her dress was a deep purple, a color Byleth figured only she could pull off. It clung to her figure really well, with a simple skirt that went down to her ankles, which showed her feet clad in black stockings and heels that matched the dress. She had forearm-length gloves that covered her arms, a simple necklace, and a black flower in her hair which had been styled a bit, likely by Dorothea. Funny enough, the placement of the flower reminded Byleth of how he placed one of Jeralt's flowers in that very spot.

"Bernadetta...you..." he spoke slowly, to which Bernadetta wasn't sure how to take his response.

"Do...Do I look bad?" Bernadetta asked, her face a little red. "You know I had never even been to a ball before I came to Garreg Mach, and I can probably count the amount of times I've worn something like this in public on one hand..."

"No no, you look great," Byleth smiled, regaining his composure. "I'll admit I was a little surprised...but you look stunning Bernie."

Bernadetta's face reddened again, and she turned her face away from Byleth, though a hint of a smile still adorned her face. Come to think of it, she had a little make-up on as well, again probably because of Dorothea. Honestly, it looked perfect on her, highlighting her natural look without going over the stuff. Rather ideal for someone as softspoken as her.

With that, Byleth reached his hand out.

"Shall we go together?" he asked kindly.

Bernadetta's mouth opened and closed, as if not knowing what to say. In the end, she just shook her head and settled for a nod, putting her hand in his just like before. As the two of them walked, neither could deny the intimacy of the moment, one that had Byleth's mind wondered just what it was he was feeling, and how much of it was because of everyone else's pestering.

* * *

"You just going to let her do her own thing?" Claude asked him.

"She doesn't need me to chaperone her everywhere," Byleth replied.

Upon coming to the hall, it naturally took Bernadetta a little while to suddenly being out and about in such a state. Although she still wasn't the biggest talker, the other girls were happy to have her around and involved her in their conversations. To that end, Byleth let her have her girl time, enjoying some of the food until Claude had walked on by, taking a break from his own entourage.

"I figured you'd try to have some more time with her," Claude winked. "Ain't no better time to get to know a girl than an event like this."

"I think we know each other pretty well," Byleth retorted, to which Claude just rolled his eyes.

"Sure you do, Teach," Claude patted his shoulder a bit. "But trust me on this, I think you really need to just go with the flow and see where the night takes you."

"Sounds like everyone's been telling me that today," Byleth sighed. "Sylvain and Ignatz commented on how Bernadetta and I are like around each other."

"Not a shock. You and her really did seem to get a long well. Just about everyone can see that," Claude chuckled. "You treated us all pretty well, but you and her really seemed to have some special moments."

Byleth really couldn't deny Claude's words. Everything he had said was true. Looking back at that year he had spent as her teacher, they had a lot of moments together, some happy and some sad. He got to see the kind of girl she was behind the barriers she had placed, and she had in turn supported him in his own emotional moments. They had gone from a teacher and student to a mentor and apprentice and now even partners.

"Maybe..." Byleth wondered.

"You know...your old man gave you that ring for a reason you know," Claude gave another sly wink before walking away from Byleth.

Byleth nodded absentmindedly until he realized something. Wait, how did Claude know about...

"Wait Claude," Byleth said as he turned around.

Yet, just like Sylvain, Claude wasn't anywhere to be seen. Now where could he have gone? He wouldn't skip out on anything for this would he? This was all getting really confusing for Byleth, having these occasional odd moments during a time that was intended to be carefree. He couldn't make heads or tails of it.

However, right at that moment, the musicians began playing, indicating it was time to dance, further indicated by the large crowds of people beginning to congregate together on the floor. Byleth could only watch as he was pulled up whether he really wanted to or not. Funny enough, he actually ended up in the company of a couple of his current students before winding up going through Hilda and Annette before...

"Ah!" Bernadetta cried out before Byleth grabbed her hands, just barely keeping the dance going. "S-Sorry about that!"

"It's okay," Byleth smiled in an attempt to calm her down, settling her into a little routine as he had done with the others, pulling her at her waist. "You enjoying it so far?"

"Um...a little I suppose," Bernadetta replied, allowing Byleth to control the dance. "I think I stepped on some of your student's feet though."

"I can imagine," Byleth chuckled slightly. "You know, we might have fixed that had you been our house representative back then."

"I think I'm perfectly happy with you picking Hilda in the end," Bernadetta actually smiled and giggled lightly at that. "I don't think anything would have helped me back then."

"I don't know. Manuela said dancers need to have charm," Byleth continued. "And you have plenty of charm."

Bernadetta's face lit up immediately at his words. "How can you say that so casually?" she said as she looked down.

The two of them continued in a rather simple routine compared to the others, as neither really felt like going super hard into it, which was just fine. A bit of a tense silence formed between them, neither really knowing what the other was thinking. Bernadetta seemed to be settling down though, and Byleth couldn't deny that seeing her smile in such a situation made his heart skip a beat. Wait a second, his heart wasn't beating to begin with. How was that possible?

The intimacy of the moment took a dramatic take upwards once Dorothea actually took to adding some vocals to the daI'nce, which thankfully slowed things down but made the overall atmosphere feel very...romantic. Byleth could feel Bernadetta actually coming a little closer during their dance, keeping a good grip on his hand and shoulder as she did. He rarely had people this close to him for any particular reason, but in this moment, it was like he didn't want her to be any further away from him.

After a little while longer, both of them were beginning to get a little tired.

"Did you want to get anything to eat?" Byleth asked her.

"Oh, I think I've eaten plenty," Bernadetta replied, looking at the time. "Um, Byleth? I got something to ask."

"Of course?" he replied.

"Can we go to the Goddess Tower a little before midnight?" she asked, her face all red. "It should be a nice view of the big show at the end...and it'd be a nice place to talk like before..."

"Oh...I'd be glad to," Byleth smiled.

He couldn't help this odd feeling in his stomach though that had persisted throughout the day. This odd sense of foreboding that felt somewhat familiar to him. Whatever it was though, he knew one thing. He would love to spend the rest of the night with the young woman in front of him, one who was now smiling in response to his words.

Watching the two of them though was someone poking out from underneath one of the tables. Sothis had continued to watch over Byleth the entire day, in quite a few amusing ways I would have you know. Wandering around trying to keep an eye on everyone while not being noticed. In a way, it had amused her to look around the place, seeing everywhere while not being limited to Byleth, and being able to partake in these weird human rituals of theirs.

Still, she could sense the end of a dream coming.

"Is this what you've been looking for?" she asked herself. "Someone special to share this night with? All the things you couldn't do before?"

If anything, she was curious to see how this would all end, though not before swiping one of the pieces of meat from an unsuspecting patron.

* * *

"This feels nostalgic," Bernadetta smiled as she looked around the top floor of the Goddess Tower. "Funny to think we were here 5 years ago."

"Indeed," Byleth said, his mind still lingering a little bit on Claude's words earlier, not to mention wondering where in the world he suddenly ran off to. Honestly, everything felt like it was getting kind of weird for him all of a sudden, making him feel uneasy.

Bernadetta scuffled her feet around a bit, her hands behind her as it she was a little lost in thought. Byleth couldn't quite figure out what was on her mind, nor could he figure what he was feeling right now. Being near Bernadetta had never given him this kind of feeling before, and he wasn't sure if he liked it. With how long he had known her, the last thing he would have wanted was to feel nervous around her.

"To think, back then I said my wish was to live in solitude forever," Bernadetta giggled slightly. "Guess that didn't really come true. Been thrown in to one thing after another ever since."

"Do...you regret that?" Byleth asked her uncertainly.

"Hmm, not really," Bernadetta said as she looked out. "It's still strange to think about. I never could have imagined being in this position when I first came to the Monastery. It actually still feels rather surreal that I asked to stay with you."

"Well...you've taken the imitative a few times," Byleth gave a small smile. "After you, you came to me asking to join the Golden Deer house.

"Hehe, true," she replied. However, at that moment, she turned to face Byleth directly, the night sky still shining behind her. "Byleth...will you always want me around?"

Byleth's eyes widened a little. Would he always want her around? Was that really ever in doubt? He would happily have her in his company all the time, so long as she wanted to of course. Bernadetta had been one of his best companions since coming to the Monastery. So long as she was good with it, he wouldn't want that to change. She had helped him through many of his roughest moments, such as when Jeralt died so long ago.

Looking at the images in his head, that strange feeling returned. The one that made him feel like he didn't want her to ever leave, a feeling he was quite unfamiliar with as he hadn't really felt that level of attachment all that often.

"Of course Bernie," he said sincerely, albeit a little awkward. "I'd like to have you around as long as you'd like."

Bernadetta blushed slightly, though her small smile remained. Slowly, she walked over to Byleth, taking his hand in her own kind of like before.

"I just...wanted to be sure," she said. "I don't want to leave your side either."

"Then don't," Byleth replied. "We can continue as we have these past few years."

"Maybe," Bernadetta murmured a bit. "But...but what if I want more than that?"

"Excuse me?" Byleth asked.

"Are we just a teacher and student? Or just partners?" Bernadetta asked. "I'm sorry if I'm being a little too forward. It's just...I really wanted to work up the courage for you to know how I feel."

For a minute, Byleth wasn't sure what to say, in spite of the red spreading across his cheeks. Everything that had been said to him over the course of the day came rushing back to him, making question the nature of this relationship. He really hadn't thought about it much beyond the strong bond they had had over the many years, and dealing with strong emotions were something he was never good with. He looked back down at Bernadetta, her grey eyes staring at him with a firmness he hadn't seen from her. Honestly, looking at her, Byleth couldn't deny the sense that he simply didn't want her to ever leave, even though he couldn't quite discern the exact reason why. She had become a pillar in his life since the loss of his father.

"I...I don't know," Byleth eventually replied. "But...I...I know you're special Bernadetta. Special to me."

Bernadetta's smile got a little wider at that, seemingly a little satisfied, before they both heard a loud noise. Guess midnight was fast approaching and it was time for the big send-off for the day.

However, Byleth's weird sensations from earlier continued to persist, making his head ache a little more. His sense of perception was starting to get really off, getting even worse the more time passed. Bernadetta didn't seem affected by whatever was happening though, just watching with that same look on her face. The sounds got louder as people were beginning to count down like they often did when the new year was about to start. That didn't help Byleth's worsening problem though. It was like things were starting to fall apart around him. Was he just super tired? This kind of felt like those dizzy spells he had when Sothis was around.

**"The dream is about to end."**

Again, that voice rung out throughout his head, though he was feeling too woozy to really register it. He didn't really like where this was heading though, was something he had was being taken away again...

"Byleth..." Bernadetta suddenly began to speak again, taking a deep breath. "Before...before this ends...I want to say something..."

Byleth watched as Bernadetta came around to the front of his vision, her silhouette surrounded by the glow of the celebration outside, making her almost look ethereal. Her smile didn't waver as she came closer.

"Happy Millennium Festival."

And just like that, the last feeling Byleth felt as his senses were fading away, was the feeling of Bernadetta's lips on his own.

* * *

Byleth had little sensation of what was going on, a world of black all around him. It was like being between being asleep and being awake if that made any sense.

What had happened? Vestiges of the event he just witnessed continued to pass through his vision, though it was almost like something that happened in the past, like a dream destined to fade away as night gave way to dawn. Such a sensation felt sad to Byleth though, as he reached a hand out as if to grab something. It felt so real, like a world that could have really happened. Yet, the sensation of it slipping through his fingers also felt real, leaving...a certain sense of longing.

His mind felt like it was barely in the mood for any introspection on what had just happened. Were all those years spent there just gone? Never to be seen or realized? The sight of everyone smiling with no war to harm them, the view of a gorgeous festival that surpassed anything he could have dreamed of, and...holding the hand of one who had unknowingly become so important...

Against his notice, he could feel stinging in the corners of his eyes, a feeling he remembered well from when Jeralt died. Did he once again lose something, or someone, important to him? Was it all just fabrication? It didn't feel like it. Even with that world flowing away before his eyes, he couldn't imagine what he felt there to be fake...

Byleth's eyes slowly began to close again as drowsiness began to take him once again, but the lingering sensation of that feeling didn't leave just yet. For the time being, it stayed, like someone's hand holding his own for as long as it could before it had to say goodbye...

* * *

"So did he figure anything out?" Sothis wondered to herself. "I hope there was actually a point to all of this."

Sothis found herself back where she was before, a place where Byleth's very soul was bare to her. Since their fusion, this was where she had resided, and while she hadn't communicated with Byleth, she had been able to keep an eye on him all the same. By that token, even his dreams were no stranger to her, and there had been many of them over the years.

Over these past few years, Byleth had many dreams, many of them as lucid as the one he just had, and she could see all of them around her, weaving so many scenarios. It begged the question of whether Byleth had been looking for something, searching for meaning somewhere. Some of them began by imaging if he hadn't come to Garreg Mach at all, but it was clear the brightest of dreams came from those shared with his beloved students.

And no dream shown more than the one before her, the Millennium Festival imaged as Byleth might have seen it. No sign of war at all, and a glorious reunion with those he cherished the most. Of course, Sothis couldn't help but notice one thing this dream had that the others didn't, and that was Bernadetta's own role in the dream? Was she the reason this dream seemed to have to much purpose to Byleth? Perhaps she was more important to Byleth than he realized. Perhaps just as important as his bond with Claude himself.

Honestly, she didn't fully understand this stuff herself, and chances were Byleth didn't fully get it either. Still, there was a certain warmth to this dream, and while dreams are always destined to fade away with time, whose to say they couldn't help shape the future.

"Very curious, these humans are," she murmured to herself. "Such fleeting moments, yet they mean more than the world itself."

At that moment, she knew it was finally time to awaken. It had been a long time coming, but it was time. As she basically implied to him during the dream, the time was night for it to end. The world needed Byleth now, more so than ever. The affairs of what was going on out there were not lost on her, not for one second.

**"You...How long do you intend to sleep? Your body is awake. Your eyes must open now, and you must find the strength to stand upon those legs of yours."**

A soft sound resonated through the area, a sound much like someone trying to stay asleep. Oh good grief...

**"Like so much rain, a pool of blood has fallen to the ground...As spears and arrows pierce the earth, it weeps...And even now...it weeps. In order to survive, they kill. And so, the people of this world are lost in an abyss of suffering. They weep as well. The only one who truly knows the nature of such things is I..or rather, you."**

A few seconds passed, making Sothis wonder if he was even responding, until she got a reply that sounded a lot like "I'm still sleeping". Why that little...

**"You are a complete and utter fool! Have you not changed one bit?! Get on your feet. Right now! I'll coddle you no more! You are just like a child, always needing me to hold your hand..." **

Well, that seemed to do the trick, as Sothis finally got the sense that the long sleep was coming to an end.

"Ugh, seriously. Needing me to wake him up like this. He's lucky I didn't do it sooner and let him dream," she sighed.

Still, as reality was beginning to come back, Sothis looked back one last time at the dreams Byleth had, the last one still shining among the rest.

"Hmm, that's what could have been..." she said to herself. "But perhaps, it could still be as well. That world may have been a dream, but I feel like those feelings weren't."

Whether or not this dream meant anything would be for Byleth to decide, as his story began once again.

* * *

A bit groggily, Byleth began to make his way up the path to Garreg Mach, having just spoken with that civilian that today was to be the day of the Millennium Festival, had it been held at all. Honestly, his head still felt really foggy, like what in the world happened?

There was...Rhea fighting. He remembered that much at least. And then he got blasted by that one man who was with Kronya and was sent falling into an abyss. And then...nothing.

And yet, even with that, Byleth couldn't help but feel like there was something in-between then and now. Like hundreds of foggy images in his head. It felt kind of like how you try to recall a dream after waking up and it starts to fade over time. He wasn't quite sure if that was the case, but there were lingering sensations. One was his hand, like he was holding on to something dear before it slipped away. Another...was a sensation on his lips. It was accompanied by something he could only describe as beautiful, yet he couldn't figure more beyond just that.

There was a sense of sadness to all of this. Like something wonderful that wasn't meant to be...yet still could be.

In any case, he hoped it might come to him soon. For now, he walked up the slope towards the monastery, hopeful that someone would be there to greet him.

* * *

**My god, talk about a chapter from hell. Why is it that something always ends up being added that just makes the whole thing longer than I thought it would be. Seriously. :D**

**This was quite the out-there concept for me, and I gotta be honest, I'm not sure if this chapter really makes it to my usual standards of quality. Dream sequences are not my strong suit, and I'm not sure if I was really able to work all of the concepts together in a way I would have liked. Still, exploring a hypothetical Millennium Festival was a neat idea so I don't regret giving it a shot even if it was crap. :D**

**I kind of hoped for this to be the "beginning" of Byleth's feelings to come, using dreams to look over what and whom is really important to him. Plus, who's to say this dream would have some subliminal effects down the line. The world might have been fake, but were Byleth's feelings fake? Who can say. Wait, I'm the author here so of course I could say! But I'm not going to. :D**

**Anyway, hope you all enjoyed it. Not entirely sure what the next chapter might be. One possibility could be focusing on Bernadetta during the 5 years in-between, but I'll actually have to think of stuff to put in for that. Perhaps we'll instead just head off to where Part 2 kicks off. Who knows. At the very least, we're getting back to reality in the next chapter which should hopefully be a lot easier for me whichever way it goes.**

**In any case, that's all I got for ya! Sentinel07, signing out!**


	7. Heaven or Hell

**Hello everyone! Here I am again!**

**Well, that last chapter was quite the doozy, and I guess things aren't slowing down. Byleth got all the focus last time, and now we shift to Bernie's side. Given that we're not dealing with a dream here, perhaps this will be better. :D**

**As usual, I own nothing, blah blah blah.**

**BEGIN!**

* * *

**Heaven or Hell**

**Imperial Year 1181, Day 6 of the Great Tree Moon**

Bernadetta sighed as she leaned back in her carriage. Going the long way back home wasn't quite part of the plan, but it had happened anyway. And now, after quite a few days, she was back in Varley territory.

Still, even with the amount of time, she could still hear the sounds of battle every time she closed her eyes. It didn't help that after Edelgard was successful in taking over Garreg Mach, no time was wasted in beginning attacks on the Kingdom and Alliance. This caused a lot of complications for those attempting to return home. Caspar had taken his leave halfway through, saying that he didn't want to return home. He left with barely another word after that, that confidant smile still plastered on his face. Linhardt had taken his leave just a couple days before, heading in the direction of the Hevring territory, leaving Bernadetta all by her lonesome again.

Further enforcing the weirdness of the situation, she had seen the carriage pass by the town which houses the Varley estate, the very house she had called home for all her years before Garreg Mach. In a way, Bernadetta didn't initially believe that she would really be going to stay somewhere else. She thought she would have to tolerate being with her father again, and even more so than before thanks to him being under house arrest.

Thankful for small miracles then, as she was now being taken to another estate on the Varley territory, albeit one a little smaller and further west than the main one. It wasn't a completely unfamiliar place to Bernadetta. It was one her family had been to before, albeit rarely. She could count the amount of times she had been there on one hand and still have fingers left over. Still, she was assured it was well-maintained, and she'd have a full staff of maids just like she would have had anyway.

But still, she couldn't help but think of everyone else. With Garreg Mach fallen, everyone she had come to know over the past year had scattered to the winds. Many were returning to their territories, including those formerly of the Black Eagle house. Supposedly, Bernadetta had been assured by others that she and her fellow ex-Eagles would not be persecuted for their role in defending the Church, but she wondered how long that would last. Perhaps that played into why Caspar didn't want to go back period, as he jumped before they had even gotten back into Empire territory.

She hoped her friends were alright at least. She knew many of them were plenty strong. Petra and Leonie could take on anything, and Dorothea was no pushover. Really, she had some confidence they got to a safe place.

But...there was no word on Byleth at all. No one can said anything about him popping up in the days since the attack...

"Lady Bernadetta, we've arrived," Bernadetta was taken out of her thoughts by the driver's announcement.

She poked her head outside, seeing the estate finally. In many ways, it was like her old one, and one could say the slightly smaller size made it look a little cozier. As expected, it appeared well-kept, with the gardens out front looking strong with plants well suited for the heat. It was quite picturesque honestly, the kind of thing that would make you think the world was at peace. The servants were even outside to welcome her. Quite the welcome. Come to think of it, Bernadetta thought she recognized a few of them.

"Welcome home, milady," one of the maids spoke as Bernadetta exited the carriage.

It took Bernadetta a bit to remember the names of some of these maids. Guess it's a consequence of being a loner for the most part. The girl who just spoke was...Bridgette, right? She was the blonde-haired one. And there was Mimi and Sara. Mimi was a little bit smaller than the others and had long brown hair. Sara was of medium build and hers was blue.

"Milady?" Bridgette suddenly got Bernadetta out of her thoughts.

"W-What? What is it?" Bernadetta jumped a bit.

"My apologies. You were just staring into space a second ago," the maid said. "Is something wrong?"

"Oh...n-no," Bernadetta sighed. This was going to take getting used to again. "N-Nothing..."

The maid didn't seem convinced, but nodded all the same before allowing the others to take in what possessions Bernadetta had with her. Bernadetta didn't speak another word as she walked along, being taken inside. It was so quiet inside, with the only sounds being their own steps. Seeing some of the familiar places like the dining room though brought back some memories. The handful of times her family had come here had been...relatively peaceful by comparison. Perhaps the few times her father, Reginald, didn't try to "train" her.

Come to think of it...

"So..." Bernadetta finally broke the silence as they were walking up the stairs. "Is...my father still at home?"

She felt she knew the answer, but had to ask anyway, just for her own peace of mind. Bridgette didn't seem to mind.

"Yes, Lord Reginald is still under house arrest by order of her majesty," she replied simply. "And Lady Esmeralda has been in the capital for some time."

Esmeralda von Varley: wife to Reginald von Varley and Bernadetta's mother. Come to think of it, she had been thinking about dealing with her dad so much she had almost forgotten about her mom. Bernadetta couldn't say she had the best memories of her. As a civil servant, she worked in Enbarr primarily, making it so she was only home infrequently. She guessed perhaps the best things she could say about her was that she didn't join her father in his abuse of her, but she didn't do much to comfort her either. The fact that she "kidnapped" Bernadetta and dropped her off at Garreg Mach was really the first thing she had done for her in years.

In an ironic sense though, Garreg Mach had become like a second home to her, filled with people she could actually call her friends. Not sure if that made for a good excuse, but certainly a silver lining. Bernadetta wasn't too sure what she could say the next time she faced her mother, if she ever stopped by that is.

"Do...you know how long she'll be gone this time?" Bernadetta asked as they all turned a corner.

"I cannot say, milady," Bridgette replied. "From what I know, Lady Esmeralda has pledged House Varley's assistance to her majesty, Emperor Edelgard. The best guess I can hazard is that she'll be in the capital for some time."

Well, at least she'll have some peace and quiet until then. Sweet, peaceful quiet.

Eventually, Bridgette opened a door, bowing as she let Bernadetta walk in first.

"All the rooms here have been maintained, so it should be comfortable," she said. "Some of your things from the estate were brought over too when we got word you'd be staying here."

Some part of her was internally having a fit over the idea that people went into her room back at the estate, but at the same time, guess it wasn't a surprise given how long she had been gone. Looking inside, Bernadetta saw a rather modest room, already with most of her stuff. It wasn't as big as her room back at the estate but a little bigger than her room at the monastery. At the very least, it had everything she needed so that was fine enough.

"I'll let you get situated," Bridgette and the other maids bowed.

"Y-Yeah..." Bernadetta said slowly before they all left to tend to other matters, giving her some much needed alone time.

Bernadetta closed the doors after they left, taking in a deep breath as she got a closer look over her room. She looked over at the window, seeing the plains outside. That actually was another big difference between this house and the Varley estate. The estate was situated near one of the towns just a little ways away, while around here there was nothing but wide plains and some hills covering the somewhat arid region. In an ironic sense, it might be a perfect place for someone wanting to get away from the rest of the world. You'd never guess a war was breaking out if you lived here. You'd have to squint to see the next town.

Bernadetta sighed as she began to unpack the small amount of things she had managed to keep in the wake of losing Garreg Mach. Most of it were her typical supplies for her hobbies, but of course one of the biggest things that stood out was her in-progress teddy bear. Come to think of it, she didn't work on it at all since the battle, basically being lost in thought the entire way here.

"I suppose I should...oh," Bernadetta began to say before she sighed.

One of the older stitching on the bear had broken, typically not a great sign if you were the superstitious type. Guess she'd have to go back and redo some of it. This was going to take some time. Though, the very fact that something she was making for Byleth had broken in such a way didn't do much for her nerves. Oh, where was Byleth...

Well, guess there was nothing she could do right now. One thing she could do though? Get a change of clothes. She was still in her uniform, and one look in the mirror showed she was a total mess. She still had dirt in places and certain parts of her uniform were all frayed. Guess a bath was in order too, and some sewing to fix it up.

With that said, and to perhaps keep her mind off of more troubling matters, Bernadetta excused herself to get washed up, naturally all by herself rather than the maids assist in any way. It was a strange sensation once she was done though, throwing one of her old lavender dresses. Sheesh, she hadn't worn something like this since before getting sent to the monastery. Kind of made her messy hair look out of place. Not like she really cared right now. Now she could just situate herself in her room and just let herself get lost in her hobbies, just like always.

_Rumble_

Or maybe not. She hadn't eaten too much over the trip either now that she thought about it, and she was really not in the mood to wait for nightfall to eat. Sighing, she eventually walked downstairs, not having to go far until running into another maid. She was sure this one was Mimi.

"Do you need something, milady?" she asked. Honestly, the girl didn't look too much older than Bernadetta was.

"Yeah...could you make some lunch, please?" Bernadetta asked in a tired voice. She really just didn't have the energy to really make a fuss right now.

"Of course. I'll make something straight away!" Mimi said with a bit of enthusiasm.

After that, Bernadetta just made her way to the decently-sized dining room, sitting in the same seat she used to have back then. Not that meals here were ever lively. She never talked much, out of fear of saying something that would interrupt her mother and father's talk, and probably set him off in the process. At least the empty table and silence were preferable.

_"So Bernie, did you want some of my sorbet?"_

Bernadetta's eyes popped open, hearing Byleth's words so clearly in her head.

"Professor?" she called out, expecting to see him facing across from her just like they used to in the dining hall.

However, once her eyes landed on the seat directly across from her, it was completely empty, signifying that those words were just in her head. Thinking about it, those words were from a few months ago. She hadn't eaten for a while and was practically dragging herself to the dining hall just to grab something. As luck would have it, Byleth happened to be there, about to have some peach sorbet. Seeing her, Byleth barely wasted a second in giving her that small smile he often gave her, and graciously offered some to her. Naturally, her first instinct was that he put something in it, which just made her blush as she eventually accepted the treat.

"Milady? Your meal's ready," Bernadetta's internal thoughts were interrupted by Mimi's arrival.

"Oh...t-thanks," she replied.

Ah, a couple of meat sandwiches. Simple but quite tasty. Kind of reminded her of the Derdriu-style pheasant sandwiches from the monastery. Those were quite tasty. Still, even as Bernadetta began to eat into one of them, her mood failed to improve.

A part of her so dearly wished a certain someone was sitting opposite of her so she could offer the other sandwich to him.

* * *

The rest of the day was rather uneventful. Bernadetta just went up and kept herself in her room, taking time to rearrange everything to her liking. She didn't have to clean much with how well handled the place was, making for an easier time. After that, she just set everything up and laid down on her bed for a while, completely exhausted after the trip here. The only other time during the day that she left was just for dinner.

During that time though, she decided to make one request of the maids, that being she hears of any updates in the war, even if they have to slip the news underneath her door. If nothing else, it might be nice in case one of her classmates decided to send something, or perhaps if there was word of Byleth's return. She could hope for that at least.

Once dinner was done, she went back to her room and saw the sun setting completely beneath the horizon. Guess it was time to change for bed. However, just as Bernadetta was beginning to strip down and get her nightgown, she caught a glance at her bow.

"Come to think of it...I haven't practiced at all since I left the monastery," Bernadetta said.

Honestly, it would probably do her some good to keep her archery practice. As much as she loved the solitude, who knows if something would end up reaching her here. Plus, Byleth spent a lot of time helping her to hone her fighting techniques over the past year. It felt kind of wasteful and disrespectful to his memory to neglect them.

"Ugh, don't think like that!" Bernadetta shook her head at those thoughts. "You make it sound like he's dead. He...He's not...He's not..."

In truth, she tried to keep Yuri's words close to her heart, that Byleth was out there somewhere. He's just...well...actually it was really hard to say just what he could be doing right now. Byleth was kind of weird like that. In any case, back to her original topic, she got and gathered up whatever casual clothes she had that she would actually move around in, and threw on a cloak since it was a little windy.

Thankfully she wouldn't have to look far for some targets. Given how well Varley territory was known for its archers, you could always expect to find equipment somewhere, and there were some good ones in the storage. With that, Bernadetta grabbed one of the targets and even grabbed a rather rusty lance as well before heading out into the crisp night air.

"Hmm...I like the monastery air better," she muttered to herself. Garreg Mach always seemed to have just the right weather most of the time.

Anyway, hugging her cloak close, she set the target up just outside the house, mimicking the situation from her lessons at the monastery as close as possible. It felt strange to not have Byleth closely watching over her for any kinks in her stance or shooting style, so she'd have to manage all of her own from here on. Well, guess that would have happened one way or another. It's not like Byleth would have always had time to instruct her on how to fight. He even mentioned multiple times that it'd be on her to keep going after graduation. It sounded like a lot of trouble to be honest, but she did still want to live up to his expectations.

And so, she began going through the motions of her training, just settling for practice strikes rather than for points as they typically used for serious practice. Though, it surprised her a bit when she felt sore in her shoulder and upper back after just a few arrows.

"Ow...guess that's happens when I don't practice for a week," she groaned.

Still she kept at it, further helped by the privacy granted by the situation. Once she felt properly warmed up, she began getting back to other aspects of training, focusing on certain spots, which Byleth had often scored for points. She had always been typically good at that, as her accuracy had often been the best of Byleth's students, something that extended to even when she began walking back for curved shots. From there she kept working on other angles, such as shooting while standing straight up or kneeling on the ground.

She had to admit she was particularly proud of the Deadeye art, which was something Byleth helped her master before the Battle of the Eagle and Lion. Normally putting such power into a really long-range shot killed accuracy for most archers, but Bernadetta's accuracy was so good to begin with that she was a natural fit for it. Guess Seteth wasn't joking when he said she was good with her hands, not that she had ever put much thought into such a thing.

For a good hour, Bernadetta did nothing but practice shots, constantly moving and forth to pick her arrows up whenever she ran out. Perhaps it was because she was alone, but it made her think a bit regarding her arrows.

"I wonder if I can make it so they have less air resistance. Hmm...save that idea for later."

Once her hands were raw from so much firing, she took a little break before getting in a little lance practice. Getting work in there felt considerably easier without Ingrid roping her into ongoing training sessions, although it felt strange with the lack of guidance too. Just like with her archery, she was quite out of practice with this work too, which made her feel quite sore once she felt she had done enough.

"Okay...ow...that's enough for tonight..." she groaned, swinging her sore arms. Well at least she was warm now.

It felt kind of strange to work out in clothes that weren't totally designed for this. Kind of made one miss how the academy uniforms were surprisingly flexible no matter what the students wanted to train in, and whenever they had to change out for battle clothes, they were pretty ideal. Bernadetta wondered if perhaps she ought to consider getting some new clothes for her workouts, or maybe even make her own. She had have a lot of free time now.

Well, in any case, she proceeded to put all the stuff away before heading back inside and, for habit's sake, swiped a small piece of dessert from the empty kitchen before heading back upstairs to her room. Given how she felt, she just quickly changed into her nightgown and plopped on to her bed unceremoniously. It had been quite a day with getting adjusted to the new home and situation.

And while the silence was appreciated, Bernadetta couldn't quite the help the small feeling of missing hearing students walking past her door every now and then. That was the last thought she had before blacking out completely.

* * *

Bernadetta's first few days made her come to a realization. Getting used to this place after a year at the monastery would not be easy.

On more than one occasion, she expected her door to open and reveal Ingrid's smirking face, saying that it was time to train while forcing her out of bed. Seriously, she almost pulled her out while still in her nightclothes once. Bernadetta still hadn't lived that one down. Yet, there was no such thing now, other than a call that breakfast was ready.

Right as she exited her room for breakfast though...she could have sworn she heard Dorothea.

_"Hey Bern, what to try this? It's to die for!"_

"Dorothea?!" Bernadetta perked up, expecting to see her fellow ex-Eagle about to gush about some new food or whichever.

"Um, milady?" Mimi looked at Bernadetta's sudden change in her direction. "I finished your breakfast."

Bernadetta's face went downcast after that, much to the maid's confusion. Unfortunately for Bernadetta, it only turned out to be the beginning. So many of her friends' phrases were ingrained in her head that she couldn't help but expect to hear them at certain times of the day.

_"Hey Bernie, got this cut on my glove. Think you can patch it up?"_

_"Bernie! Now is the time of hunting! I show you new trick."_

_"Hey Bernadetta, want to see that viewing spot I showed you again?"_

Time and again, all throughout the day, Bernadetta thought she heard the voices of her fellow classmates, which to the point where the maids were wondering if she was feeling alright. She refused a suggestion to maybe see a doctor, instead just shutting herself up in her room to avoid hearing their voices. Sadly, it didn't do much to help, as she could still hear them in everything she did. As she wrote, she could hear Sylvain just give her encouragement again. When working on one of her sewing projects, Leonie and Dorothea's voices came in.

But perhaps the one that got to her the most was when she got to work repairing the broken stitches to her "Byleth Bear". She had barely gotten into it when she started to think...

_"Bernie...is it alright if I come in? I brought some tea."_

The thought of that made her freeze immediately, almost tearing the stitch she was working on. Before she knew it, her body was running over to open her door, only to see Mimi holding some tea for her, wondering what she was in a rush for. Her mood immediately soured again, muttering a thanks for the tea before closing the door and going back to her desk.

Suddenly, she didn't really feel in the mood to finish it. Then again, guess she had all the time in the world now. She had her own little paradise of solitude now, just as she said she had wanted. A place where no one could judge her...

Yeah...no one...

As she sipped on her tea, which was good all things considered, she felt less in the mood to keep sewing.

* * *

**Imperial Year 1181, Day 15 of the Garland Moon**

For the most part, Bernadetta had settled into a routine, one that really differed little from her life before the monastery. She stayed holed up in her room most of the time, only really leaving for meals and having to wash up. Her nighttime routine was more or less the same too, keeping up on her practice and swiping occasional food from the kitchen, much to the chagrin of the maids. For the most part, she had gotten comfortable with the newfound quiet, though today was not to be one of those days.

For the first time in her two month stay so far, it was announced her mother was going to stop by. Suffice to say that Bernadetta wanted nothing to do with it, even though she figured it would happen eventually. It wasn't making things easier on the maids either, who tried to insist she at least make herself presentable.

"I could at least style your hair a little," Mimi was offering while Bridgette was helping with the dress.

"I don't need it!" Bernadetta cried out, really wishing she could just get away right now rather than being fussed over like this. She didn't exactly like people choosing her clothes for her, or people making choices for her in general for that matter. "Now can I please go?!"

"Sigh, very well," Bridgette said as she finished up adjusting the dress. "At least we're as ready as can be for Countess Varley."

The announcement had come about a couple days ago, sending Bernadetta into a tailspin on just what she could do. There weren't as many places to hide in this house compared to the estate, and her mother likely wouldn't take no for an answer if she tried to barricade her room. The simplest way to do this was likely just to ride it out, not that it made her feel any better. Meeting her mother was only an improvement by virtue of the fact that at least she didn't abuse her. She could still be scary though, because if there's one thing Bernadetta knew about Esmeralda von Varley, it was that she took her nobility duties very seriously.

Admittedly, Bernadetta didn't know a whole lot about her mom, other than the fact that she came from another noble family in the Empire. Not as high up on the ladder as the 6 noble families obviously, but one that was plenty well off. No wonder she caught her father's eye in that regard. She was only home infrequently due to working in the capital most of the time, and even during the times she was home, it wasn't like she tried hard to comfort Bernadetta in the wake of her father's abuse. Bernadetta didn't really hate her mother, or at least not enough to wish harm on her, but that didn't mean she had any desire to see her.

And now, she was left sitting at the table, dressed up for the most part with the exception of her still having her mophead of hair. Supposedly, Countess Varley wouldn't be staying for long. It was really just to check in before finishing some business at the Varley estate. Bernadetta certainly hoped it would be a brief stay. Part of her was still worried this was all a facade and that she would soon be arrested for the Battle of Garreg Mach. Oh, just thinking about that was enough to make her quiver in her seat.

However, soon enough, the doors to the house flung open. Bernadetta nearly shrieked at the sudden noise, seeing some knights step in before in came a woman.

Aside from her light brown hair, Esmeralda very much resembled her daughter, though her rather serious appearance formed a sharp contrast with Bernadetta's own somewhat childish appearance. The two shared the same eye color, and very similar facial structure as well. She was a well-developed woman too, compared to Bernadetta's still-thin figure. Everyone immediately bowed at the Countess' appearance, to which she gave a short nod and immediately looked toward the table where her daughter sat.

Bernadetta could immediately tell she didn't approve of her daughter's still ruffled appearance, given her dress wasn't really completely straight and her hair was still the same mophead it had been for years. Esmeralda didn't make a comment on it, but Bernadetta didn't need her to say anything to get the message. They hadn't even started yet and already the disappointment was coming in.

"Hello Bernadetta," Esmeralda began talking, taking a seat opposite of Bernadetta while the knights and maids were excused.

"Hello...mother," Bernadetta replied softly after a pause, barely even looking her mother in the eye, something she immediately noticed.

"Look at someone when they are addressing you," she spoke. "That's basic for a noble."

"Y-Yes..." Bernadetta spoke again, looking a little straighter.

"Have you been adjusting well here?" Esmeralda continued. "I tried to keep this house maintained should our family ever need it again. It should have been suitable."

"...Yes," Bernadetta gave a small word. Beneath the table, her hands couldn't stop trembling. Already she desperately wished for this to be over so she could go run and hide.

"Were you made aware that I was the one who arranged for you to come here?" Esmeralda continued as she placed some of her things on the table.

That actually surprised Bernadetta bit, making her actually look up at her mother's strong gaze.

"R-Really? Why?" she asked.

"Bringing you back to the estate would be unproductive, and even more so now given your father's situation," Esmeralda replied plainly. "I had planned from the beginning that bringing you here after your year at Garreg Mach would be ideal for your continued development."

Bernadetta just slumped back and sighed. Of course she would say something like that. Of course her mother would only get her away from her father just for the sake of a more efficient method. Esmeralda's business-like attitude was just about the only thing Bernadetta knew about her, a trait was admirable in its own right but kind of scary as well. There seemed to be no love or affection behind Esmeralda concocting bringing her to this house. It wasn't to give her a happier life. It was just her considering what would be more efficient for her goals, just as she did when she sent Bernadetta to Garreg Mach to begin with.

If Esmeralda was surprised by Bernadetta once again going silent, she showed no signs of it.

"And your year at Garreg Mach...was it beneficial?" she continued. "I sincerely hope you learned a thing or two about your future responsibilities."

Ah yes, learning to eventually take over House Varley, the very thing Bernadetta expressed to Byleth that she wasn't all too comfortable doing, at least not now if ever. Most likely the very reason she brought her to this house to begin with. The fact that she could have been still at Garreg Mach at Byleth's side if not for the war only increased the pit she felt in her stomach.

"I did," she replied simply, still occasionally shooting looks at the knights just outside.

A look that didn't get past her mother.

"If you're worried about being arrested, you can put that to rest," Esmeralda spoke up, making Bernadetta jump a little. "Emperor Edelgard officially pardoned anyone from the Empire who fought in that battle. As far as anyone is concerned, the Church made you fight for them. You have nothing to fear. I would have figured you'd have heard of this by now."

So that was the case. Perhaps she did hear of it and forgot. Granted, it wasn't like she had difficulty taking things at face value. They could very easily be getting her to lower her guard.

Bernadetta didn't speak a word about it, to which Esmeralda took a breath and sighed, clearly not surprised by this. Bernadetta wasn't exactly one for small talk when it came to these matters. Getting to business would likely be faster for both of them.

"I suppose I should get straight to the point. As I alluded to earlier, we have to consider your place as heir to House Varley," she continued to speak. "Granted, with the war going on now, such matters may not come up for some time. Still, it's best to be prepared. Some time in the future, I'd like to arrange for lessons. That way you might be ready in a few years time."

Great...more interference. Why can't they just leave her alone? All she wanted right now was seclusion, to be away from everything right now. The responsibilities of the House were the last things on her mind.

Needless to say though that Bernadetta's silence wasn't earning favors with Esmeralda.

"Bernadetta, this is crucial business," she said a little more sternly. "Your father likely won't hold on to his position for very long. Regardless of what happens in the war, I can't see him being allowed to remain head of House Varley."

"...You didn't seem all that worried with the way he was treating me."

The words left Bernadetta's mouth before she could even think of them, making her eyes widen in shock and clasp both her hands on her mouth. Talking back to her parents was practically unimaginable, even with her mother not being as bad as her father. Her face was flush with fear at what she just said, a sense of dread flooding over her.

For her part, all Esmeralda did are narrow her eyes a bit.

"I had you sent to Garreg Mach for your own safety. Being taught at home wasn't working out," she replied. "And given the results, I'd say that worked out much better."

"...Was that your reason for just letting father have his way with me?" Bernadetta finally spoke after another pause. "All you did was watch while father berated me for everything I did. Couldn't even be bothered to comfort me."

_Stop it! What are you saying?! You know better than to talk back to her! You'll make her angry for sure!_

"The life of a noble isn't easy. There are standards you must follow, especially for an heiress. Many noble girls your age go through such times," Esmeralda continued, not showing any visible anger. "Perhaps if you were more committed instead of giving up, it might have gone easier for you."

Bernadetta couldn't help but feel a twinge of annoyance at those words. Not committed enough? What her father did was torture yet she put up with it for years trying to please him. She even put up with him not allowing her to socialize with others, out of hope that perhaps she might make him happy in the end. Yet, that never came. Nothing but constant reprimand for everything she was "taught" to do. Cooking. Sewing. Being proper. All that stuff really. She tried it all, and it wasn't like her mother tried to assist in any way either.

"What would you know? You were gone from home most of the time..." Bernadetta replied in a low voice.

_Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! Just stop talking! Stupid Bernie!_

Even Bernadetta was surprised at how much she was going against her better nature. Was this something she had wanted to say for a long time? She couldn't say for sure. She could feel the immense amount of fear though in spite of her words, which formed a rather tense silence between the two of them. Even the knights and maids were starting to look a little worried.

After a minute, Esmeralda closed her eyes and took a breath.

"We're getting off topic. What's past is past," she said, before starting straight back at Bernadetta. "But before that, I do have something of curiosity to ask you."

"Huh?" Bernadetta squeaked.

"Over the past couple months, I've talked with many families who had students at Garreg Mach," she started. "And through that grapevine, I heard something interesting. Regarding your position as heir to House Varley, I hear you already tried renouncing it or at least were considering it."

Bernadetta's face visibly paled, taking a big gulp.

"Naturally, I'm curious as to the truth of such rumors," Esmeralda continued. "To be more exact, I heard it was the result of you wanting to stay with someone, though I didn't hear whom, but they're not of nobility, or even from the Empire."

Bernadetta's hands, which were back in her lap, clenched.

"And...what are you getting at?" Bernadetta asked.

"I'm getting that you should consider your position more carefully," Esmeralda said sternly. "One insignificant person isn't above your birthright."

Bernadetta's eyes widened a bit, and yet, she somehow felt a little calmer than before. Her mother's words echoed in her head, to the point where it was hard to think of anything else. Even her fears were being overwritten one by one.

_One insignificant person...One insignificant person...insignificant person...insignificant person..._

"Mother...could you repeat that?" Bernadetta asked.

Esmeralda raised an eyebrow. Something seemed...different about her daughter. Did her words strike a nerve?

"I'm saying that I don't approve of you trying to throw away your birthright for one person," Esmeralda spoke. "You're supposed to find someone who can be beneficial to our family for when you take over. And I doubt some nobody at Garreg Mach would bring any worth to a family of the Empire.

**SNAP!**

At that very moment, Bernadetta felt something snap within her. Esmeralda's words continued to fill and echo within her head, and she stopped shivering in her chair. All sense of fear she had felt from her mother's previous words all washed away, leaving nothing but an eerie calmness about the girl. Esmeralda took notice of this, and was understandably confused.

"Bernadetta?" she asked.

_Insignificant person...Nobody...Insignificant person...Nobody...Insignificant..._

Suddenly, her memories of Byleth popped forward, showing everything they had one through together. All the times he helped her even when she didn't ask for it. All the times she tried to push people away out of fear but he never held that against her. All the inspiration he gave her which lead to her making some friends, including some unlikely ones. The time they held each other at Jeralt's grave and Byleth placed one of the flowers in her hair. The man who gave everything for his fellow students, who he also considered his friends. So much so that he even overcame powerful magic to return to them. A smart and brilliant man who was more of a light in her life than anyone before.

And one who smiled so brightly at her when he accepted her staying by his side in the future.

_Insignificant ...Nobody...Insignificant...Nobody...Insignificant...**Nobody**_

"...Shut up," the words eventually left her mouth, not a hint of reservation in them.

"Excuse me?" Esmeralda's eyes widened slightly. "Did I mishear you?"

"I said, shut up," Bernadetta repeated, same tone as before.

"I will not have that tone from you, young lady," Esmeralda replied, now visibly angered. "You will answer my..."

"SHUTUPSHUTUPSHUTUP!" Bernadetta's hands slammed down on the table, echoing throughout the room.

Bernadetta now stood up, leaning over the table where her hands were. Esmeralda couldn't believe the look she was seeing, and on a certain level, neither did Bernadetta. Her face, somewhat red, was contorted in anger, tears threatening from the corners of her eyes. Small whimpers escaped her mouth, as if unable to form words. One thing was for sure though...

Bernadetta had never felt this much anger before. Even the time she kicked and screamed her way out of her father's grasp years ago paled in comparison.

"Don't you dare talk about Byleth that way!" she nearly screamed. "I don't care what you say about me, but don't call him insignificant! It's because of him that I ever got comfortable at the monastery to begin with! He...he always treated me like an equal! He never cared about where I came from or how I kept pushing him and the others away. He was always so patient and never held my past against me!"

"Bernadetta, I..."

"I...I wanted to stay by his side, even after school was done. So I asked if I could become his apprentice, and he accepted me with a smile like always," Bernadetta continued, her tears now free to fall down her face. "I...I wish he was here right now...I wish I was still at Garreg Mach by his side...He showed me more love than you or father ever did..."

For once in her life, Esmeralda was left speechless. Her normally mousy daughter was standing above her, declaring outright passion for this person she had not known of. Who was this person to inspire such action in her daughter.

"Just...Just leave me alone," Bernadetta's tone reverted back to its softer tone, the adrenaline seemingly simmering down from her outburst.

Without another word, Bernadetta turned, ignoring Esmeralda's call for her to come back. She just proceeded to go back up the stairs, her heels clacking against the floor, turning over to where her room was and bolting the door shut.

"Bernadetta!" Esmeralda called out, knocking on the door. No answer greeted her.

Inside, Bernadetta just curled up on her bed, throwing her shoes off in the process and ignoring her mother's words. She was in no mood to listen to any more of it. Tears still slowly came down her face, though less intensely now that the emotion was passing over her.

After another minute, Esmeralda sighed. She should have expected an outcome like this, although the idea of someone inspiring such confidence in her daughter somewhat amazed her.

"Bernadetta...do you hate me?" she asked in a tone softer than before.

Another tense silence, to the point where Esmeralda wondered if she'd get another word.

"...No...but I want you to leave," Bernadetta eventually replied through the door.

Esmeralda sighed, putting her hand against the door.

"Very well Bernadetta..." she said, not feeling it would beneficial to either of them to continue in this state. "Just...so you know, I'm leaving a handful of knights here for your protection."

"Fine..." came the curt reply.

"And, if nothing else," Esmeralda sighed, not sure if Bernadetta was really even listening by this point. "At least do something about your appearance sometime."

"...Maybe..." Bernadetta replied in a similar non-committal tone.

"...Well...good bye Bernadetta," Esmeralda said, her features softening as she figured it was about time to end this.

"...Bye mother..."

At that, Esmeralda turned her head and began to walk away. She wasn't sure what to think as she received farewells and left the house with her portion of the knights. Who was this Professor Byleth person? Now that she had time to think on it, Emperor Edelgard had mentioned that name on a couple of occasions. Clearly this was someone respected, and certainly someone her daughter had come to idolize. For as mousy as her daughter still was, there was clearly a passion somewhere in her heart regarding this person. Esmeralda couldn't deny she was curious at the least. Bernadetta still seemed to have little care beyond her hobbies, barely even bothering to keep herself clean, but there was something inside of her that was strong.

Whether that was good or bad, Esmeralda couldn't really say. All she knew was that Emperor Edelgard would probably want to know about this.

* * *

Bernadetta took a few minutes to allow her breathing to level out. For all she knew, that conversation didn't last very long and she was already exhausted for the day. Her mind felt so blank, running entirely on emotion all throughout that last exchange. A bit of that indignation still lingered though.

No way did she want someone to get away with bad mouthing the man who turned her life around. If he hadn't come to Garreg Mach, she might have gone through the whole school year without anyone breaking her out of her room. She probably would have just lived the year completely in solitude, with no other direction in life than just indulging her hobbies. He at least showed her other possibilities, even if some of them were scary.

He accepted her, every bit of her, unconditionally.

And speaking of scary, with her mind beginning to come back to her, her face suddenly went very red.

"Oh no...oh no...ohnoohnoohno!" Bernadetta cried out. "You idiot! You talked back to mother! You even yelled at her! This is why you're a failure Bernie! Just go crawl in a hole somewhere and never come out! She'll kill you for sure!"

While it might not have been crawling into a hole, burrowing herself deeper into her bed sheets served a good enough purpose. Welp, no going out of the room today that's for sure! That was more than enough adventure for one day.

Although, the more she thought about it...something else about what she said to her mother stood out, and if possible, her face turned even more crimson.

"Wait...did I call him by his first name?! AHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Yet, even in the midst of her having a freak out at her act of rebellion towards her mother, a small part of her couldn't help but feel pride. That, in a moment where Byleth couldn't defend himself, she did so for him.

* * *

**Imperial Year 1181 Day 18 of the Horsebow Moon**

Since the eventful meeting with her mother, Bernadetta settled back into her routine, making very little effort to defer much from it. Today on the other hand was a little different.

Storms weren't exactly a common thing along the Varley lands, but they happened pretty frequently during these times, bringing some much needed rain to the often dry lands. Today in particular was turning out to be a pretty wet one, which makes one feel all the better about staying indoors because now it's not seen as strange. At least, Bernadetta liked to tell herself that.

The dark clouds made for a rather dark day, so Bernadetta wasn't really doing any big work, rather just reading a book to herself with a candlelight nearby.

One thing she had noticed after a while was that the amount of books the house actually had pretty limited, at least on stuff that was actually interesting to read. Thankfully, she got one of the maids to get some while they went on their usual market trips. It gave her at least other things to indulge in besides history books. She read plenty of those at Garreg Mach anyway.

Considering what she got, Bernadetta wondered if the maid had ravaged a Kingdom store or something, because she ended up with a lot of knightly stories that reminded her of the stories Ashe and Ingrid were always gushing about. Not that she minded though. Some of the heroics in these stories kind of reminded her of her own story that she showed all her classmates. Come to think of it, that still made her face go red to this day, in spite of how well received it was.

It was a little sad though, with so many of the heroes' exploits in these books all being caused by war, further reminding her of the current situation. So much loss and heartache, which in this situation felt like it was hitting a little too close to home. Though, the fact that they all mostly had happy endings did a little to lighten her mood a bit.

She couldn't help but see some of her friends in the starring roles of these stories. Felix so perfectly suited one of the knights friends who was stern but also loyal. Ashe was like any bright-eyed young hero. There was even this story of a young girl who rose up from nearly nothing, to which Bernadetta couldn't help but picture Leonie in such a role, though said heroine ending up as a royal was kind of funny.

"Leonie as a noble...hehehehe," Bernadetta giggled, before looking a little downcast.

Kind of made her miss hearing the young mercenary-to-be always talk about her village or her aspirations. She wondered if that was what Leonie was doing now, fighting as a mercenary like she wanted. Bernadetta hoped the stitching she made for Leonie still held up after all this time.

That aside, one story that really got her attention was a story about a boy and a girl. The girl always had to live her life in isolation, something Bernadetta couldn't help but relate to. The boy in question always came by to help her, while also having to fight the evil in the shadows. Bernadetta was pretty sure this was another Faerghus knight's tale, given all the similarities it had to other stories. In case case, the girl was always frightened to leave her cage of a home, but the boy's courage and kind heart gave her the strength to take on any challenge. And in the end, they overcame all sorts of challenges before riding off into the sunset together.

Honestly, it was quite a touching story, and Bernadetta lingered on the pages for quite some time. In her heart, she couldn't help but imagine an image of Byleth riding up underneath her window and calling out to her just like the boy in the story. It was kind of cute, though also kind of scary since she was a floor up and it was a long fall down. Still, in a romantic sense, it made her cheeks go pink to think about. Her beloved professor coming by to pick her up...

**BOOM!**

"Ahhhhhh!" Bernadetta cried out, falling backwards over her chair to the ground as lightning struck outside.

Lightning was something she never was good with, and even had an episode or two where sleeping at Garreg Mach was hard when a storm came in. Byleth actually helped her get through one once, which didn't make them any less scary, but at least she felt safer for that one night. Sadly, there was no such thing right now.

And as Bernadetta got a blanket to cover herself after that scare, she knew nobody else was on their way to comfort her. Such was what happened when you were isolated...

No knights today.

* * *

**Imperial Year 1181, Day 25 of the Ethereal Moon**

House Varley used to be the liaisons between the Empire and the Church. By extension, many of the territory's people tended to resonate with holidays of the Church. However, such like that became harder to do once Edelgard ascended to power, and with the formal declaration of war upon the Church of Seiros, celebrating anything involving the church became nearly impossible.

Bernadetta never exactly considered herself the most pious person. It wasn't that much of a priority for her. She believed in the goddess for sure, but never really paid much much to it. However, such a thing was harder for her given the school year, with so many events bordering on divine intervention. Most of such being Byleth himself. That time following his escape from Solon's trap and explaining just what happened with him certainly gave a new meaning to being blessed by the goddess. Certainly made her professor all that much more fascinating as a person.

But that was all neither here nor there. What was really on her mind right now was how today would be the celebration of Garreg Mach's founding, and one year to the day she participated in the school ball before running off to the Goddess Tower just to escape it all. Seriously, she really didn't want to go in the first place, but all her friends insisted she at least attend even if she didn't want to dance. At least she got out of having to be her house representative for the White Heron Cup.

"Hmm...the Goddess Tower," Bernadetta mumbled as she was working on her new stitching project.

Running there was just what she needed to have some much needed alone time, but she didn't expect Byleth to end up there as well, and freak her out half to death in the process. It was actually a little now to think that Byleth actually did have a pretty scary silhouette. What could you expect from a former mercenary.

_"It's my lifelong dream to live in solitude forever...So could you help me to swear that vow?"_

Honestly, her words to Byleth brought a little smile to her face. She wasn't being entirely serious, knowing full well he wouldn't agree to it anyway. In any case, she didn't really feel like she needed it. Just having that one night with her professor under that pretty night sky was worth the memory all its own. She didn't really care about missing out on the dancing after that.

Actually, that related to what she was doing right now, engraving her memory of that night in the Goddess Tower into the cloth she was sewing together. Of course, like most things over the course of this year, it brought her some sadness as well. Still no word on Byleth at all. It was as if he had just vanished into thin air, never to be seen again. While she knew Byleth had already gotten out of perilous situations before, vanishing for this long concerned her a lot.

Well...she supposed she could just take some comfort in this. It'd be the only way she could really get any celebration out of what was meant to be a good day. Just four more years and it'd be when the Millennium Festival was supposed to happen, and when they all made their promise to return together.

Bernadetta wasn't entirely sure if that would really happen now, and even if whoever was still alive by then went, perhaps it'd just be best for her to stay home. Safe and away from everyone else. Her heart was really conflicted on whether she really believed Byleth would return or not. Her eyes ended up wandering to the stuffed bear Byleth had given her for her birthday, little more than a year ago as well. She had since added a few flourishes, but overall remained much the same as it did when he gave it to her. Come to think of it, she didn't even know when his birthday was. Did anyone outside of maybe Claude know about it? That didn't exactly help.

"Happy Holiday Professor..." she spoke softly to herself.

She turned her head up look at the moonlight outside, not realizing the tiny wet spot on her sewing project coming from the lone stain on her cheek. Just a little while longer and it would be a while year since the day the monastery fell, a thought that didn't lift her spirits at all.

* * *

**Imperial Year 1182, Day 13 of the Harpstring Moon**

News about the war came pretty slowly to Bernadetta, which she probably shouldn't have been surprised about given where she was.

A few months ago, news had come down that Ferdinand had escaped Empire territory, taking some of his knights with him. With his father basically completely stripped of power, House Aegir's influence had pretty much gone down to nothing. Bernadetta figured it must have been Ferdinand's only course of action with how things were going. It made her think about how the rest of her fellow classmates from the Empire were doing. Chances are that Caspar never returned given how he was before, Petra being in Brigid could mean anything, and then there was Linhardt and Dorothea, who she heard nothing about.

It felt strange to be in the same country yet feel so disconnected. Part of her actually considering maybe sending a note to Linhardt since she was pretty sure he was still home, but thought against it. Knowing him, he probably couldn't be bothered anyway.

Right now, it was a pretty cool night, and she was up to her bow practice as usual. To her surprise, it had actually become second nature to her now, given she had thought she might give up partly though. I mean, what were the odds of her having to use this if she stayed where she was. To date, the war hadn't come anywhere near where she was now.

"Good to see you're practicing. I suppose it makes sense you'd only be out at night."

Oh, guess one of the maids saw here and wanted to say something.

"I don't need..." Bernadetta was about to say she really didn't need the commentary...

Until she happened to actually look behind her, her face becoming a deathly pale. For whom she was looking at wasn't one of the maids at all, but rather the Adrestian Emperor herself in all her glory staring at her.

"L-L-L-Lady Edelgard?!" Bernadetta shrieked so fast that she ended up on her butt from the shock.

"That's Her Majesty to you," Hubert spoke from behind her, as cold-blooded as usual.

"That's enough, Hubert," Edelgard told him, as he nodded at her words. "You don't have to worry Bernadetta. I'm just returning from seeing how the war is proceeding on the eastern side."

The coldness in Edelgard's words failed to be any sort of relief to Bernadetta. The fact that her heart was still racing a mile a minute wasn't helping, and she felt incredibly short of breath. Was this it? Was this the moment where she'd arrest her for fighting for the Church all those months ago?! That had to be it! It was a false sense of security all along! She was dead for sure this time!

"P-Please don't hurt me!" Bernadetta continued to cry out. "I-If you're going to kill me, at least make it fast!"

"I see you haven't changed at all," Edelgard replied, lack of surprise evident. "I suppose living out here has made you a little unaware of what's been going on. Even your appearance is about as unkempt as always. I suppose your mother was right about that at least."

Ignoring the little shot that her appearance was about as "un-noble" as always, Bernadetta was still fearful, but Edelgard hadn't made any move to hurt her so far. Maybe this was just a peaceful visit after all...maybe. One thing was for sure, she wasn't getting away if the Emperor herself wanted to talk. Bernadetta's lack of a reply though gave Edelgard a pretty good idea of what she was thinking though.

"I'm not here to arrest you for what happened at the monastery," Edelgard spoke calmly, making Bernadetta freeze. "If I had wanted to do that, I would have done so a long time ago. As far as the Empire is concerned, you were all forced to fight for them. I wanted to leave the door open for everyone from the Empire to return."

Well...that sounded nice of her, though Bernadetta didn't particularly get the feeling Edelgard did out of altruism. Still, she supposed she was right since Edelgard really wasn't the type to beat around the bush. At that, Bernadetta finally rose to her feet, albeit still shaky.

"I-I see..." she said as she patted some dirt off of her clothes. "And...well...I know Ferdinand left..."

"So you did hear of that. Yes, he left at some point last year," Edelgard replied. "Caspar never returned to the Empire either. He's been fighting in the Kingdom and Alliance ever since."

That confirmed one of Bernadetta's theories at least.

"That just left yourself, Linhardt, Petra, and Dorothea," Edelgard continued. "Petra returned to Brigid, but has since returned."

"Oh...so she..." Bernadetta began to say before Edelgard cut her off.

"Now she's fighting against the Empire as well, as is Dorothea," Edelgard went on. If she was disheartened by any of that, she didn't show it. "I asked her if she would consider fighting by my side. Soon after, she disappeared."

Bernadetta's shock on the other hand was quite evident, and she took a couple steps back after hearing it. For Petra to openly go against the Empire given her country wasn't something she expected, and Dorothea and Edelgard got along very well.

"Are you sure you should be telling her this, Your Majesty?" Hubert spoke, his voice not doing much for Bernadetta's nerves either.

"It's fine, Hubert," she replied. "It doesn't change anything in the end."

Bernadetta could only wonder what she meant by that, but Edelgard clearly wasn't done as she took a breath.

"I might as well get down to why I'm here. As I said, I'm returning from the front lines in the east. Along the way, I passed by Hevring territory to talk to Linhardt," she continued.

"Oh...is he alright?" Bernadetta asked.

"He's the same as always, unsurprisingly," Edelgard said. "Actually, I asked him if he would consider joining the Imperial Army, to which he denied."

Bernadetta's eyes widened at that. Edelgard asked Linhardt to enlist? Him refusing didn't seem to be a surprise though. The man could barely keep himself awake. But wait...she didn't...

"You...you didn't...kill him, did you?" Bernadetta asked fearfully, fear sinking back in that this might circle back to her.

"I didn't. It'd be a waste to do so, and as long as he doesn't get in my way, it shall remain so," continued Edelgard. "Actually, I'd like to extend that invitation to you as well, Bernadetta."

"M-ME?!" Bernadetta nearly shrieked again. "W-Why me?!"

"Because I need people with talent if I'm to tear down this corrupted system of ours," Edelgard said, her tone even firmer than normal. "I've said as much to you at Garreg Mach. I believe you have talent and would do well for the Empire."

Bernadetta's blood ran cold. She was outright being told to join? Or was it just an offer? Come to think of it, did Edelgard really explain as much why she was doing this? As far as she knew, she wanted the Church out of the picture for sure, but few seemed to know any specific reason why. And Edelgard held her secrets especially tight. Just about everyone in the Black Eagles knew that.

Part of Bernadetta wondered if she should do it just to not make Edelgard angry, though if she didn't kill Linhardt, perhaps she'd be willing to spare her as well...

"And...what if I say no?" Bernadetta squeaked out a reply. "What...happens then?"

"Nothing," Edelgard replied curtly. "You return to your home, stay there, and don't get in my way. I said as much to Dorothea and Linhardt when I spoke with them."

That really didn't do much to calm Bernadetta's nerves regarding this whole thing. Edelgard was so stone cold in her words that they felt like they could cut through her. It made her sincerely hope that Dorothea and Linhardt were alright. Dorothea was kind of like a big sister after she spilled part of her past to her (one that was made all the more awkward with Yuri around) and Linhardt, while the two had a bit of a rocky start, had a decent partnership by the time the school year ended. And of course, Petra and Ferdinand were also dear in their own ways too. How they were all dealing with their home being the instigator of this conflict had to be hard.

Bernadetta just stared at Edelgard, before slowly turning her head away, shaking all the while. All these thoughts about the war being brought directly to her head...it was just too much to handle. She didn't want to have to think about it. Just go home and sleep in her bed without having to wander too deeply on it. It got her this far after all. Why stop now?

And once again, Edelgard didn't look surprised. Then again, her face portrayed no emotion at all.

"As I expected," Edelgard said eventually, closing her eyes briefly. "Then I won't say any more about it. However...there is one last thing I would like to tell you."

At those words, Edelgard walked right up to Bernadetta, getting very close to the frightened girl's face. If Bernadetta's face was capable of getting any paler, it did.

"I suggest you figure out what you want to do before long. One way or another, you can't avoid the war. I'd said as much to the others," Edelgard spoke coldly. "Whether it's in the light or in the shadows, all of Fodlan is caught up in this. You won't be able to hide forever."

A brief exchange, yet Edelgard's tone carried a lot of weight with it. Bernadetta felt rooted to her spot upon the ground, just keeping herself from shaking in the emperor's presence. Was she expecting an answer? W-What should she say?! Bernadetta's head raced trying to think of something to say, while also comprehending the implications of her words. Over the course of this last year, she felt relatively safe, enough to fall into a routine and to try and ignore those lingering feelings that reminded her of friends that she had no idea as to who was alive and who was dead, most of all...

Ugh, she didn't want to think on that again. Anytime she tried to do so, it just created this sense of dread in her stomach, much like what Edelgard was doing to her right now.

"...I can try..." Bernadetta squeaked out.

Once again, Edelgard's face betrayed no emotion.

"I suppose you can," she replied simply, finally backing away from Bernadetta. "Hubert, we're leaving. Our business is done."

"As you wish," Hubert bowed to her, beginning to round up members of the Imperial Guard that had followed along.

Edelgard began to turn around, making no indication she was going to take Bernadetta anywhere, which came as a relief to the girl. Edelgard began to walk away, though Bernadetta found it hard to relax.

After a few seconds though, Edelgard stopped, her back still turned to Bernadetta.

"You should know, your mother told me everything about your talk," she spoke, immediately getting Bernadetta to tense up again. "Despite how you claim to be fine living here, you wish you were still at Garreg Mach by our Teacher's side. He even accepted you to stay with him."

It was less like a question and more like a statement, one that Bernadetta had no answer for. How exactly would one answer such a thing?

"You're not the only one who would have wanted that chance. I'd say many others would have," Edelgard continued. "Yet most of the others have taken action even without him...Take care Bernadetta."

With that, Edelgard began to leave, her words as cryptic as ever. Bernadetta's legs to continued to shake as she just stood there watching, her mind almost blank after digesting the realization that Edelgard herself just visited and she seemed to get out of it with her life intact. As Edelgard began to walk away, Hubert took a couple looks back at the paralyzed girl.

"Are you sure about this, Your Majesty?" Hubert asked. "You do realize Dorothea left soon after you talked with her, correct? You don't want to spur others to our enemy's side."

"It's fine, Hubert. I prefer people to make their own decisions," Edelgard looked back at him as they walked. "And besides...I could see it in their eyes. They never would have joined me anyway. They all believe in Professor Byleth, even now. Even Bernadetta has it, although I doubt she even knows it."

In spite of Hubert's reservations, Edelgard held fast to her reasoning. It mattered little in the end anyway. She would stamp out any opposition to her goals, no matter what or who stood against her.

Back with Bernadetta, her legs finally gave out, making her fall to the ground in a heap. She released a breath she didn't even know she was holding, her mind trying to catch up with what just happened. She just came across Edelgard, someone she had a bit of admiration for back at the academy but now was every bit the iron emperor many believed her to be. The fact that she was even still alive right now felt like a miracle, though she ended up waiting there for a couple tense minutes just in case Edelgard didn't have others waiting to do the deed.

So...everyone she knew was involved in the war somehow, except for Linhardt which wasn't surprising. And here she was, still hiding away here, doing her little routine every single day. But then again, perhaps it was better this way. She...she was no warrior. She was just someone who wanted her own time. Leonie, Dorothea, and the others were strong, and this way they wouldn't need to worry about her.

She...could remain safe here, away from everyone else. No one else truly needed her. The war would rage on elsewhere and she could keep herself away. Edelgard was just being dramatic. There was no reason for her to meet anyone else's expectations. Staying here and out of the way was for the best.

In all honesty, as she eventually picked herself up and began to put her stuff away, Edelgard's words continued to rattle in her head. It made her hate that this was all happening in the first place. Bernadetta hadn't really given the war too much deep thought, mostly trying to avoid it whenever she could, but it was just sad all around. It was hard to think that whatever she was doing was worth so many people dying. For all she knew, even Byleth was a casualty of it.

"It's just cruel," she muttered sadly to herself as she got back inside the house, sneaking back to her room.

And as she got ready for bed and laid down, she just hoped she could push it to the back of her mind again. She got this far doing that after all. She'd make it work. It'd be better than getting herself involved in something she'd be useless in.

Better to just stick to her paradise here, her own place of heaven.

* * *

**Imperial Year 1182, Day 14 of the Garland Moon**

Following a somewhat unusual string of rain in the Varley region, Bernadetta saw the sun come back, bringing the summer heat back with it. Honestly, it was times like this that made her room a little harder to stay in. Funny enough, she never had to worry about her room feeling stuffy back at Garreg Mach, but back here in the Varley territory, it happened quite often during these months. It was enough to where she actually decided to go outside for once. Maybe actually do some painting later if she could find a good angle.

But there was something else she wanted to look at: the garden. The garden here at the house paled in comparison to those at the Varley estate, but it was still nice in its own right, and it was a couple months ago that Bernadetta actually decided to do some planting. After Edelgard's words shuck her up so much, she really tried harder to make the house feel more like home. Part of that was actually doing some planting for the first time since she arrived. Though, for the most part, all she had done were some simple plants and flowers the maids were able to get for her. Nothing truly exotic. Plus, the normally arid region wasn't exactly best suited for carnivorous plants, and the idea admittedly freaked out Sara.

Still, the flowers were pretty nice, and Bernadetta hummed a little tune as she watered them.

"There you go. Got plenty of water," she smiled as she went over each one. "You're all so big today."

Really, the flowers had bloomed wonderfully, even better than she thought they'd be. It was quite a wide variety of flowers, making a nice rainbow of colors to look at. It made for a nice piece of scenery to distract from anything else. Perhaps she should draw them too.

"Ah, so pretty."

Bernadetta nearly jumped three feet into the air at the sudden feminine voice, causing both her and the person behind her to scream.

"AHHHH!" Bernadetta's naturally was louder, until she actually saw that it was Sara. "Oh, it's just you."

"Sorry to walk up behind you, milady!" Sara bowed immediately. "I just wanted to see the flowers myself."

"Oh, I see," Bernadetta calmed down a bit, sitting back down a bit.

In all honesty, she had gotten somewhat used to the maids. They didn't bug her too much and didn't pry into her business aside from basic necessities like eating and bathing. She was still pretty sure though that Mimi in particular really wanted to do something about her look, something she wasn't exactly in the mood for. But that was all beside the point. Sara actually sat down a little bit to Bernadetta's right.

"The ones I placed here bloomed nicely," Sara smiled, looking at a small patch of flowers that Bernadetta actually hadn't noticed before.

"Wait, you planted some of these?" she asked.

"Oh yes. A little while ago as a matter of fact," Sara nodded. "I wanted to plant them as it helps me remember my boyfriend."

_'Ah, that's sweet,'_ Bernadetta thought in her head. Though, Sara sounded kind of somber when she said that. "Wait, is he...?"

Sara seemed to pick up on what Bernadetta was implying.

"Oh no, he's alive. At least, I hope so," Sara smiled sadly before sighing. "He works as a farmer, but he was conscripted into the army a few months ago."

Bernadetta's eyes widened a bit. She didn't know about that!

"Wait...people are being forced into the army?" she asked.

"Yes..." Sara motioned for Bernadetta to move her ear a little bit closer, which she did. "Her Majesty has been conscripting more commoners of late. From what's being said, she's promising many of them that they'll be able to build better lives for themselves if they win this war. Mark had always worried about not being to provide for the both of us. Knowing him, he probably didn't need much convincing."

Bernadetta was certainly surprised by this. News of the war had been coming to her more slowly these days. She had no idea what any of her old classmates were doing now, and news about what the Empire was doing must have been getting past her as well. The idea that Edelgard was actually forcing people into her army was more disturbing though, and made her shake a little bit at their talk not too long ago. To think she might have been that close to being forced in herself.

"Is...is it everyone she's forcing?" Bernadetta asked softly.

"From what I've been told, it's mostly commoners. Most of the nobles are either staying in their homes or helping in Enbarr," said Sara. "I suppose people like myself in the employ of a noble house probably are exempt too. I'd be of no use on a battlefield."

Bernadetta was quite floored by what she was hearing. It was pretty sad for this war to be going on in the first place and people fighting all the time. But now there was the reality that people were getting taken out of their homes to fight as well. It just sounded horrible, all of it. A bit of an awkward silence filled the air between the two of them, Bernadetta saying nothing while she saw Sara pray a bit. Showing piety towards Seiros had gotten even harder as well, so most were trying to do it as discreetly as possible.

"Well, I should get back to my duties," Sara said as she got up and patted the dirt off her uniform. "I hope I didn't disturb you, milady."

"No, no it's okay," Bernadetta replied, and the girl went off to go back inside.

After that, Bernadetta spent a little more time just looking at the flowers, taking in what Sara was saying. Come to think of it, when you look at all the flowers she and Sara had planted, they portrayed a wide array of emotions. Hope. Passion. Desire. Love. Really, just about anything you could think of. Bernadetta wasn't entirely sure if she was thinking of that when she planted them in the first place, but seeing them all together brought it to the front of her mind.

She wasn't sure what to think in regards to Byleth anymore. The spark of hope was still in her heart, but she couldn't say she thought about it much these days. Sort of like a subconscious feeling that kept it alive. Perhaps the fact that she planted these flowers in particular were a reminder of that, just as how Sara was waiting for her beloved to come back home.

At that, she sighed as she got to her feet, deciding to move on with whatever else she wanted to do today. Perhaps painting would be enough to remove her mind from all of this for one day.

* * *

**Imperial Year 1182, Day 23 of the Red Wolf Moon**

"Brr, chilly," Bernadetta said to herself before being bumped a bit. "Hey, don't go too fast!"

Not too far away from two years in solitude, Bernadetta found herself embracing the chilly autumn air and riding one of the horses in the stables, albeit not exactly by choice. Had she gotten her way, she'd be inside as usual. However, Sara happened to have a bit of a kitchen accident which caused a lot of smoke to infest the house. Long story short, if Bernadetta decided to stay in her room, she'd likely choke to death in it. Hence, that's why she was outside in the cloudy weather while the house was being cleaned up. It was about late afternoon by this point too.

And honestly, the horse wasn't exactly her idea either, rather something Mimi said she should really do. Come to think of it, the maids really seemed to enjoy trying to get her involved in stuff. Bridgette continued to insist she'd be happy to help with her clothes and appearance, which Bernadetta still refused to this day. However, it was kind of hard to resist Mimi especially when she thrust the horse reins into Bernadetta's hands.

While Bernadetta had continued her night routine of keeping up to snuff on her combat skills, she had kind of stayed away from horse practice, and it showed in how haphazard she was trying to control her steed whenever it moved. Seriously, the ones at the monastery were considerably more calm than this one was. Especially that one horse Marianne always seemed to be around. What was its name again?

It still amazed her how Byleth was always able to discern any particular talents his students didn't know they had. Bernadetta certainly had no idea she had some horse riding talent. Heck, it was strong enough to the point where, combined with her natural quickness, she had shown an ability to slip past enemies to snipe them from behind. She fondly remembered how proud she felt at learning such a technique. In fact, Byleth told her she was the only one to learn such a technique. It was one of her favorite moments of being in his class.

However, as stated before, she was sorely out of practice.

"Ahhhhhhhhh!" she cried out as she was gripping her reins wrong, and the horse was going a little nuts, running in a different direction from the house.

Now, the knights her mother left behind also tended to leave her be, only really getting involved if there was a serious situation, which didn't happen with her often. For now, most of them were trying to get the house under control after the incident, leaving Bernadetta to her own devices. Naturally, such a thing suited her just fine, but on the other end, it meant there wasn't any one else to help with the unruly horse. No Byleth or Marianne either for that matter.

"STOPSTOPSTOP!" she cried out. She had to look like of pathetic trying to keep the thing under control while lashing her reins about.

Eventually, the horse suddenly came to a sudden stop, though with Bernadetta's momentum, it sent her rolling off the horse and on to the ground, making her groan as she landed.

"Ow..." she groaned, slowly getting up and getting the dirt off her clothes. "That wasn't nice."

With the horse somewhat calm now, Bernadetta took a look around. There wasn't exactly too much to see in the immediate area, given the closer you got to the mountains in the Varley region, the less stuff you could see other than rocks. However, there was one thing that caught her attention. There was a little tower not too far away. Could serve as a nice place to at least rest before going back.

"Come on," she tried to urge the horse forward, to a little bit of success.

Getting a better look at the tower, Bernadetta began to remember something she had read once when she had to read up on the history of her territory. This tower, which wasn't all that big to be honest and didn't even have a name, was a remnant from some old war or another. Look all over the Empire and you could find these sorts of relics everywhere. The tower was useful for the Varley region due to the local specialty in archery, though it had obviously fallen well of use long before now. For a second, Bernadetta had to wonder if someone like a bandit could use this place, but upon further inspection, she saw it wasn't nearly big enough to serve as any long-term base. It was like a glorified watch tower.

Still, consider herself at least curious. There was still a place to tie the reins of her horse at least so it wouldn't run away while she was looking.

"Augh, dusty!" she cried out as she slowly opened the door, getting a cloud of dust in her face. "Ah, got some up my no-ACHOO!"

Wiping her nose from the little sneeze, Bernadetta began to look inside. As noted before, it was very small, with very little else other than the little staircase that could take her directly to the top of the tower. Every step she made creaked, spooking her out a bit. Though, if you wanted to think of it another way, she'd easily know for sure if anyone else came inside with her. Slowly, she made her up each step, making sure nothing broke underneath her before she made it to the top, which consisted of nothing but a small room and the lookout. Even for Bernadetta's standards, this room was a little too small for her liking.

"Really cramped in here," she said to herself, observing the dust-filled area. Clearly there was no hurry to maintain this relic.

However, there was one nice thing: the view. With the elevation it granted, she had a birds eye view of much of the immediate Varley territory. For a minute, she wondered if perhaps she should have brought her painting supplies, as this would be a far better place for that than what she had been trying to do for a while now. She looked out over the landscape, leaning on the railing a bit. Seeing it all, it brought a smile to her face.

"Hehe, it's just like the opening scene to my story," she giggled a bit, before putting her hand out a little dramatically. "And here, I begin my tale. I know not where my path takes me, only that I must if I am to find my destiny."

She couldn't help but laugh softly. It was the same heroine from her story, the one everyone seemed to like back at the monastery. It made Bernadetta think about how that character always seemed to overcome great obstacles, and never allowed herself to feel caged up. It was a stark contrast to Bernadetta herself, who felt like she had to stay here. She didn't have the kind of courage her written characters did. Sadly, it made her think back to Edelgard's words, saying she should do something soon given the war. Come to think of it, this tower was a stark reminder of how war could be anywhere, even this close to home.

As Bernadetta continued to look out over the horizon, seeing the sun on the verge of dipping below, her thoughts began to turn to just about everything that had happened since she returned to her territory. Getting used to the new abode. Making it feel like home. Dealing with her mother for the first time in a while, to which she didn't have to deal with a second time yet given she was likely a major help to Edelgard's war. And all sorts of things in-between with enjoying her copious amounts of alone time. It was almost enough to make her forget the days of hearing Byleth and her friends all the time.

"Yep, all alone," Bernadetta said to herself, though with far less happiness at it than she expected. "Everyone else is elsewhere and I can just enjoy all the time to myself."

Honestly, she wasn't sure if she was trying to convince someone or herself. It was the mentality she had maintained throughout these near-two years of solitude. The idea that, in the end, she was better off here. Staying at Garreg Mach with Byleth didn't work out, but this was fine too.

Without noticing though, her hands began to shake, and not from any chill in the air. Something was welling up within her, a feeling rather unfamiliar. The more she thought on her life at Garreg Mach and the people she met there, the more it invaded her mind. In addition, her legs began to shake, making her slowly fall to her knees while she leaned against the railing, slowly turning around so her back blocked out the sun.

If she was supposed to be happy where she was, then why was it that part of her wished for Dorothea to come in and offer her some sisterly-like advise? Or maybe Leonie could come right in and ask for something else to be sown up given her constant training, something that gave a bit of purpose to her sewing hobby. Then there was Raphael with his booming voice and large physique, who showed immense appreciation for her talents like no other. Petra could come in and offer more hunting advise whether she liked it or not. Heck, even Ingrid breaking and entering just to get her outside had a sense of charm in an odd sense, as much as it scared her half the time.

Of course, she couldn't forget Ferdinand, who was incredibly patient with her after she accidentally hit him, and even apologized for how he acted towards her. Not to mention Caspar, who had shown her some great new places despite some unorthodox methods. Linhardt, she had a decent relationship with even though he seemed so indifferent. Though, there were those like Yuri and Felix who still scared the living daylights out of her, though Yuri at least tried to give some encouraging parting words in the end.

"Yeah...they all seemed to like me..." Bernadetta said in choked breaths, her voice cracking a couple times.

But, as it always would, just thoughts about those she liked to consider her friends would end with Byleth himself. Her arms ended up wrapping around her legs as he came to mind once again. Her body began to shake as she thought about him once again. Given where she was, it was hard to forget their night together in the Goddess Tower, or other such nights when they spent time together, enjoying each others company and a little worldly advice from Byleth on occasion. Honestly, there are so many things she wouldn't have dared to try without his encouragement, like showing off her written story that she felt horrified at the idea of others reading. Really, whenever she felt lost and confused, he was there to give her a nudge in the right direction or a shoulder to rest on if she needed it.

But...no, she didn't have any of that now. She was all on her own now, secure in as much solitude as she could find for herself. She could just shut out all the voices and keep to herself just as she did before Garreg Mach. Her own little heaven like she wanted.

And yet...why did it feel like hell? Why did it feel like she'd like to have some of those things she lost before? Why did it feel like being in the company of those she had come to know would be better than the cage she had now?

"_Sniff._..._sniff_...who am I kidding...?" she squeaked out, visible tears now beginning to fall down her cheeks. "I wish I got to see them right now...Dorothea...Leonie...Raphael...Ferdinand...Petra...Professor Byleth...**AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!**"

And with the name of the one that was in her heart the most, the dam finally broke, and she cried out loud. Her cries were unrestrained, sending out every emotion held in over these near-two years, along with those she refused to let out on the day the monastery fell.

In an ironic sense, she might never have felt more caged than she did now. The desire to see those she held dear was there, yet she felt like she couldn't leave. What use would she be to the world outside? She'd just be a liability to them. No, it was better things stay like this, where she was out of their way even if she didn't quite like that. It was a confliction of interests she wasn't sure she knew how to figure out, and she wasn't sure if she ever would.

So, for now, she just let it all out right there, far away from where anyone could hear her, until it was eventually time to go back.

* * *

**And that's finally done. Not sure how these chapters somehow keep getting longer.**

**Well, I honestly don't have anything too special to say. This chapter was overall fun to do and hopefully it's enjoyed. Next time will continue Bernie's story, and hopefully with a happier ending if you catch my drift. This is probably the first time I've really tried to right a chapter with heavier melancholic themes.**

**I'll see you all around for the next chapter. Sentinel07, signing out!**


	8. Extra: Snow Day in Garreg Mach-Part 1

**Hello everyone!**

**Here we are with an extra chapter. Consider this a little opportunity to go back in time a little bit to explore events that happened during the school year. A little chance to drop the seriousness for a second and just have fun with this delightful cast of characters, with plenty of Byleth and Bernie goodness of course! At least it's something to keep things going while I try to figure out what to do next.**

**So, let's Divine Pulse ourselves back into the past for a bit and enjoy the moment.**

**As usual, I own nothing of Fire Emblem.**

**DIVINE PULSE!**

* * *

**Extra: Snow Day in Garreg Mach-Part 1: Angels and Bears**

**Imperial Year 1180, Day 2 of the Ethereal Moon**

With the disturbing events of Remire Village a week or so in the past, Byleth had hoped he and his students would be able to move on and put it behind them. Of course, such a thing was easier said than done. Even he wasn't completely over what had just happened. Not only did the villagers go all crazed, but their own Tomas was revealed to be one of the bad guys. It was a harrowing situation to be sure, but they all knew they had to keep going, and the month of the Ethereal Moon was known for being one of the festive months of the year. One could hope everyone would be able to move on as best they can.

On that note though, the first thing that came to mind as he was getting up from bed and checking his calendar was that...it was really cold!

"Brr, what's going on?" Byleth wondered to himself, taking a look towards the window.

Only to be greeted by what could only be seen as a completely fogged up window, making his eyes widen a bit. Walking over, he wiped at the window, getting a full look at the outside. And what awaited him beyond his window was a completely white landscape, with snow covering everything he could see. It was a startling sight, something he hadn't seen too often outside of the few times he was in the Kingdom. The few times Garreg Mach had weather was mostly just the occasional storm and rain, but those paled in comparison to this!

"OH WOW!"

And the sound of his students, which sounded like Annette in particular, confirmed to him that he wasn't the only one. Guess he wasn't dreaming. He wasn't entirely sure how this day would go now, but he figured it was best to at least get going. He began changing from his nightwear to his usual clothes, though he subbed out the usual overcoat he had for a more snug-fit one more suited for the colder weather as well as a scarf he recently got. Guess that was a good investment of money.

With that, he opened the doors, which required a bit of force to push them through the accumulated snow. Once outside, it was quite a sight to see the entire dormitory completely covered like the rest. The weather seemed to wake up more students than usual as well, as many were up much earlier than they would be on any other day, with many having similar stunned reactions to him. Just to his right, Dedue was walking out of the room right neck to Byleth's, a small smile forming on the stoic man's lips.

There were already a few students lingering around the area outside of Byleth's quarters, all of them amazed at what they were seeing. Many of them didn't really seem sure as to what this was going to do for classes, and neither did Byleth for that matter. Then again, school aside for the moment, it was nice to just take in the surreal sight, and unlike his situation before the monastery, at least he didn't have to camp in a foot of the stuff like it did sometimes in the Kingdom.

Nearby, Linhardt was just coming out of his room, yawning as usual and dressed up quite heavily.

"Ugh...so much noise," he groaned. This was definitely an early hour for him. "And why did it have to be cold too..."

"Oh hi Professor!" Annette was running across the snow-covered grass, dressed in a rather snug coat with a hat, mittens, and her usual leggings. "Isn't this awesome?! I haven't seen this snow in ages!"

"Hehe, you're really excited, aren't you Annie?" giggled Mercedes behind her.

"Well of course!" Annette replied. "Oh, I want to make some snow angels, and a snowman too!"

"What are you? 5?" came the dour voice of Felix.

"Oh hush Felix," Annette pouted. "It's been one thing after another of late. Can't I at least act a little relieved."

"Well I think it's adorable," giggled Mercedes. "I remember playing in the snow myself when I was at the church."

Just about everyone was getting out in the open now, to varying reactions. Certainly notable was that just about everyone from Faerghus had no problems at all, while those of the Empire and Alliance were a little more varied. Raphael looked like he barely even had to bundle up with how big he was, and it was all too easy to think Lysithea's head was covered in snow thanks to her white hair, much to her chagrin. Leonie looked perhaps the best prepared for such an event, perfectly dressed up and as perky as ever, while Petra looked the exact opposite, shivering in her clothes.

"You look like an icicle, Petra," Leonie pointed out.

"Fodlan...is...much cold..." Petra barely got out through her clanking teeth.

It was getting to the point where it was a little chaotic so Byleth was just trying to get everyone settled down. Thankfully, a certain Alliance heir came to the rescue.

"Woah now everyone! Let's take it a little easy," Claude smirked, wearing a green coat and yellow scarf. "We're not even sure what the academy is going to do so how about we head for breakfast first like always?"

"Good idea," Byleth nodded, trying to help corral everyone into getting back into routine until they knew more.

With that, everyone who was present began making their way to the dining hall, trying to begin their day as they would normally. Though, in the back of Byleth's mind, he had noticed just about every door open except for Bernadetta's...

* * *

Breakfast proceeded as rather normal, though chatter mostly consisted about the new weather conditions. The hall was a little more crowed than usual, given just about everyone was eating at the same time. It certainly made for rowdy talk, with Byleth constantly fielding questions about what he'd do with class, ranging from anywhere to class as normal or perhaps a day off.

"I really wouldn't know," he replied simply. "It's not like I really know how things of this nature work."

"I remember we sometimes got days like this at the academy," said Annette. "Some days, you could see so much snow that you couldn't see outside at all."

"Hehe, you mean like that time you tried to go outside and ran face-first into a wall of snow?" giggled Mercedes, causing Annette's face to go red.

"Mercie! You didn't have to tell everyone else that!" she cried out.

Well, everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves more or less, which Byleth gently smiled as he was finishing up his own meal. However, he hadn't forgotten the little bit of extra space on the benches, showing that one particular student still hadn't shown up. It was with that in mind that Byleth had one of the breakfast dishes wrapped up and grabbed a drink as well.

"Claude, I need to excuse myself for a bit," Byleth told the house leader to his left as he got up. "I trust you can handle it."

"No problem, Teach," Claude smirked with a little salute. "I suppose someone's gotta make sure she doesn't starve or freeze to death."

He added a little chuckle and wink to that, knowing full well what Byleth was planning to do. Granted, it wasn't like it was all that hard to figure out. Bernadetta's absence, while not unusual most days, was often at least noticed. Not to mention, given the sudden weather, Byleth had extra reason to check up on her. Garreg Mach had occasional weather changes before, and he wasn't sure how she'd handle the cold given she had problems when they had a bit of a heat wave in the summer. With that in mind, Byleth grabbed what food he wanted to take for her and left the dining hall, away from the loud chatter until he could only hear the wind. Thankfully it wasn't too windy, which made walking through the snow a little easier.

Before too long, he was standing in front of Bernadetta's door.

"Bernie," Byleth said softly, a tone he used many times by this point. "Are you alright? I brought you breakfast."

He could hear a tiny bit of shuffling inside the room, indicating she was at least awake. However, he couldn't hear her say anything, which began to worry him. Usually when it came to him, she was pretty quick to reply. However, this time, there was mostly silence. Now Byleth was starting to get a bit more concerned. He disliked forcing him inside, but if Bernadetta was having trouble, then he was going to help.

However, before he could take any immediate action, there was a click.

"C-Come i-in...I-It's u-unlocked..."

It wasn't often that Bernadetta unlocked her own door for him, but it wasn't like he was going to question it. Using what he could, he opened her door, trying to close it quickly to not let the wind in.

What he was wasn't exactly what he expected and it startled him a bit. Bernadetta was dressed up to the nines in clothes, including a rather large black and purple coat with some fluff to it. It was actually long enough to go down to her thighs, where he saw her legs in some thick leggings ending in some boots. To add to the ensemble was a scarf, some mittens, and some earmuffs. However, what unsettled Byleth the most was that she was shivering a lot. Her face looked paler, her pinkish cheeks easily showing. Despite all her clothes, she didn't look comfortable at all.

"Bernadetta, are you alright?" Byleth asked, putting the food down and walking over to his student, trying to help warm her up.

"I-I'm f-freezing," Bernadetta continued to shiver, trying to warm her arms up. "I-I'm n-n-not used to c-c-cold weather..."

"Have you not experienced this before?" Byleth asked her with a raised eyebrow.

"V-Varley territory is hot most of the time," Bernadetta said, able to talk a little more clearly once Byleth came over. "It's not a-always hot, b-but definitely never gets this cold. I-I've never even seen snow in person before."

Byleth actually remembered it being mentioned that the Varley territory was pretty hot most of the time. That coupled with Bernadetta admitting that she rarely ever left the territory made it a pretty obvious conclusion that snow was not something she'd be too familiar with. She was likely really accustomed to warmer weather thanks to that particular climate, which made winter weather all the worse for her. It was quite a difference from him and the way he grew up.

In light of this, he made a move to come closer to Bernadetta, wrapping his arms around her even though he knew such physical contact was still a sore subject for her. Predictably, she squeaked and froze up once Byleth embraced her and tried to warm her by rubbing her back, hoping she'd be okay with this. He could feel that she was still tensing up, but slowly relaxing into his touch, a touch more pink returning to her cheeks.

"It's probably a little cooled down now but..." Byleth began as he let her go, returning to the dishes he had put to the side. "I brought breakfast for you. Should still be warm."

"Oh, well thank you, Professor," Bernadetta's face was still a little red, but she smiled as she accepted the gift of food.

Byleth just hung around while Bernadetta quietly dug into her food, though his gaze wasn't entirely lost on her, making her blush a little bit. Still, she continued to eat just fine, and some more color actually seemed to be returning to her skin, especially once she gulped down her warm drink, giving an exhale of satisfaction once she was all done cleaning it up.

"Ah, that hit the spot. Thanks Professor," Bernadetta smiled as she piled the dishes Byleth had brought, allowing him to hold on to them.

"I'm glad," Byleth nodded with a smile as he took the dishes, before turning to Bernadetta again. "Now then, we should both be going?"

"Both?" Bernadetta's eyes popped open, a little surprised at that. "W-Why? I can just stay in here. There might not even be classes today."

"Firstly, we don't know if that's the case, so you should attend anyway until we know," Byleth replied a little sternly before shaking his head. "And more importantly than not, it'll be better for your health if you stay with us. These rooms aren't heated very well, especially so given how much you were just shivering before. If you just stay in here, you'll be miserable the whole day, assuming you don't freeze."

Bernadetta remained silent, though her eyes told Byleth she was listening and taking in what he was saying.

"The best way for you to stay warm will be to stay active and to stay in relatively warmer places like maybe the dining hall or reception hall. Those places will have more people around so it'll help to keep you warm," Byleth continued before his features softened. "I know you're not accustomed to being around people a lot, but I think it would be best for you to try it. If nothing else today for the sake of your health."

Bernadetta didn't say anything immediately, though Byleth could tell her brain was working to process what Byleth just said. Such a thing was naturally not what she'd like to do...but she wasn't really interested in freezing to death either.

"Okay..." Bernadetta eventually replied, which got Byleth to smile a little. However, she immediately grabbed on to his coat afterwards. "But you'll stay with me, will you? I...I don't want to get lost in the snow."

As much as Byleth doubted she'd have too many problems, he knew that new situations were tough for Bernadetta to handle. If this was really her first time seeing snow, then it kind of did make sense for her to be worried.

"Of course," Byleth nodded at her. "Just stay close and you'll be fine."

"Oh thank you!" Bernadetta smiled, now feeling much more assured.

With that, Byleth slowly brought the both of them outside, getting greeted by a bit of wind in the process. Bernadetta braced a bit for a wind, both of her hands holding on to Byleth's arm. However, as they walked for a bit and the wind died down slightly, Bernadetta's face slowly turned from one of worry to one of awe. Seeing the coat of white covering the monastery was quite a sight after all, and feeling secure in Byleth's presence allowed for her to take a closer look at the scenery.

"Wow...it's...actually kind of pretty," she smiled softly, her breath appearing in the air. "It's actually even better than the portraits."

"I'm glad you think so," Byleth lightly smiled back.

The two continued their little walk to the dining hall, only stopping for some light amusement when a little snow fell on Bernadetta's nose. The young girl squeaked a little bit at it, before giggling lightly, which brought a chuckle to Byleth's face as well. It helped to brighten the atmosphere as the two of them made their way to the dining hall, though something came to Byleth's mind as they were walking up the steps.

"Bernadetta..." he began, getting the girl's attention. "If you've never seen snow before, where did you get your winter clothes?"

"Oh...uh...I actually made most of these," Bernadetta blushed as she pulled on her coat a bit. "I sew a lot of the time anyway...so one day I thought I'd make something just in case I got cold. Though, some of it like my earmuffs came from a merchant who was selling winter clothes."

"You spoke with a merchant?" Byleth raised an eyebrow. That would certainly be something you didn't see everyday.

"No, actually it was Ashe and Annette who did that," Bernadetta blushed a bit. "They actually kept asking everyone if they had winter clothes or not, and so when I said I didn't, they insisted. It was kind of embarrassing actually..."

Guess it wasn't a surprise those two of all people would go that far. Guess Byleth didn't know as much as his student's daily goings as much as he thought he did. Still, guess it was nice they were all looking out for each other. And on that note, the fact that much of Bernadetta's clothes were hand made was nothing to snuff at.

"Uh huh, well that aside," Byleth smiled a bit. "Your clothes actually look really nice. I would expect nothing less from your talent."

Bernadetta's face went the reddest it had been in a while, causing her to babble to herself incoherently for a bit. Byleth just smiled and shook his head as he kept her close until they reached the dining hall. Although, Bernadetta just ended up skidding behind Byleth for the remainder of their time there.

* * *

"So, what's going to happen?!" Leonie cried out as she sat on her desk.

"Does this mean the upcoming test is postponed?" Lysithea raised her hand to ask.

"Are they going to cook more food?!" smiled Raphael.

"They're not going to make us shovel snow are they?" Hilda spoke up.

"Please everyone! We must maintain order!" spoke Ferdinand.

"So noisy..." snored Linhardt.

"Let's build a snowman!" cheered Annette.

"What exactly happens on this "snow day" that they speak of?" Flayn asked about as calmly as ever.

"Hey guys, you know I love a party as much as the next guy, but we should really calm down!" Claude spoke from the front, not getting much better reactions.

Byleth was quickly coming to realize that even the rowdiest of times that Jeralt's mercenaries got couldn't even compare to a bunch of students seeing something unexpected. Granted, it wasn't like he had any problem with this. If anything, it was already proving to be the perfect antidote to getting their minds off of the recent tragedies that had happened and giving them a chance to actually act their age for once. It wasn't like he wasn't curious too, given how rarely he ever got to enjoy the seasons during his trips with his father, partly because of always being on a job and partly because of not having much emotions to experience them with.

"Well, at least everyone's embracing the occasion," Byleth said to Claude.

"I suppose," Claude smiled back. "You don't see too many nobles get much of a chance to enjoy anything like this."

"Not like there's much to enjoy in Faerghus anyway," spoke Sylvain. "Up there it's just cold and miserable. At least here it's not so bad."

"For once, I agree with you," sighed Ingrid.

The cacophony of voices around the Golden Deer classroom continued on for a while longer, with Byleth not really even trying to get things under control. Thankfully, it wasn't too long until they got a visitor.

"All right everyone, listen up!" cried Seteth's voice from the entrance.

That immediately got everyone's attention, with them all practically frozen in place where they stood. You didn't see Seteth here all that often, so it was quite a sight to see.

"Now, I see everyone is enjoying themselves," Seteth continued in his usual neutral tone.

"Indeed we are, and how nice of you to join us here," Claude smirked. "You got some riveting news for us?"

"I'm just here to let you know as to the state of things," Seteth continued, quite used to Claude's banter by now. "The decision has made that, should your professor agree, classes will be suspended for today in light of the weather. Note that this is for today only and we'll re-evaluate when we have a better idea of what the coming days will be like."

Everyone's eyes popped open at Seteth's words, and immediately turned to Byleth in turn. It felt like each and every one of them was burning into his soul, so much that even Sothis was feeling the weight of their gazes upon them.

**"Yeesh, they look intense,"** the ethereal being spoke from within Byleth. **"Humans have such strange traditions."**

Of course, Byleth wasn't exactly a stranger to such things, and in any case, it really didn't feel like a hard decision to make. He wasn't exactly the strictest teacher out there. Occasionally stern, but not at all strict. With a small smile, the choice was clear.

"Well, then it's clear what must be done," he spoke, before the smile came back. "Everyone, enjoy your day."

**"YEEEEEEAAAAAAHHHH!"**

The class erupted into loud cheers. Just about every commoner was overjoyed by the idea of not having to focus on class through this weather, while most of the nobles were okay with it. Lysithea didn't exactly seem enthused about it, though she was soon swallowed up by her fellow Deer before she had a chance to say anything about it. Linhardt just wanted everyone to let him sleep if he wasn't going to worry about classes, but Caspar was already on his case to drag him somewhere. Petra wasn't quite sure what to do given she didn't have a clue as how one would enjoy weather like this, something Ferdinand was all too willing to help on.

Bernadetta herself wasn't sure what to think as she remained in her seat. A whole weekday without classes, with weather she hadn't experienced before. It was a day where being by herself didn't seem to be advisable, so she had to figure how she wanted to go about. Still, at least if Byleth was around, that would make things significantly easier. Already, some of the more excitable students were beginning to head out of the classroom and back into the falling snow, not really waiting for any more news to slow them down. When she turned back to the front though, she had noticed Byleth coming her way.

"Well, I suppose we have the day off after all," Byleth said. "You want to stick by my side?"

"Y-Yes please!" Bernadetta took the offer immediately.

Allowing Bernadetta to stay close, Byleth watched the other students poor out, leaving a somewhat bewildered Seteth.

"Not something you've seen often?" Byleth asked.

"Indeed, though I suppose it's not such a bad thing," Seteth nodded, a small smile showing. "If anything, perhaps it's a fitting start to this month. The Ethereal Moon is meant to be the most festive, after all."

"I'm looking forward to experiencing that for myself," replied Byleth before looking out over the students. "You want to join in?"

"I still have my Church responsibilities to tend to, though I do hope Flayn doesn't get into anything too serious. This is new for her too," Seteth spoke as he saw Flayn energetically talking to Annette. "Do make sure she doesn't hurt herself."

"I will," Byleth nodded. Seteth gave both him and Bernadetta a nod before taking his leave.

To that end, some of the students were beginning to branch off to other places of the monastery. Some, like Petra, just wanted to get somewhere warmer, though she in particular was tempted by the idea of activities, despite the cold. Lysithea wanted nothing to do with this, yet kept getting dragged around. Marianne was a little worried about how the horses might be feeling and wanted to check on them, to which Ferdinand decided to join her. By the looks of things, the other houses were all on their way out as well, with Edelgard, Dimitri, and their respective retainers hanging around talking.

"Honestly, I'm not sure what to do with myself," spoke Edelgard as Byleth joined a little talk between the three house leaders. "It's been some time since I've seen such levity."

"You could have joined the fishing tournament a while ago," winked Claude. "Seeing the imperial princess trying to catch a fish would have been a sight to see."

"And yet you didn't participate yourself," Edelgard replied sardonically.

"Hey, I'll have you know I was deep thinking at the time," Claude flippantly replied.

"Honestly, you two," sighed Dimitri as he was looking around. "I must say though, it's been a while since I've seen this much snow, much less being able to enjoy it."

"Well prince, it's your lucky day then. We'll have to figure some way to commemorate this day," Claude smirked. "Something grand between our houses that we'll all remember."

"Well, consider me intrigued at the least," chuckled Dimitri. "Do let me know when you figure it out."

"Quite. In the meantime, I'll tend to my own matter," replied Edelgard.

However, Edelgard didn't get far until Dorothea walked right up and asked her something Byleth couldn't hear before practically pulling her away, leaving Hubert to sigh as he followed along, not letting Edelgard out of his sight. Dimitri excused himself as well, wanting to see what his childhood friends were up to now, leaving Byleth to stand there with Bernadetta, who didn't speak a word during the brief conversation.

"You okay?" Byleth asked her.

"I guess...I'm a little warmer now," Bernadetta replied, her shivering less pronounced now. "But...I don't really know what to do either. What do you do in the snow?"

"I'm not sure," Byleth replied, quite unsure himself.

"But you've been in the snow before, right?" Bernadetta asked. "I heard you were in the Kingdom before coming here?"

"Yes, but I didn't have much time for such things as a mercenary," Byleth said before looking down. "Plus...you and the other students know very well that I wasn't very expressive when I came here. I can't say I have too many memories of things before this year. Even if I had time to myself, I probably wouldn't have known what to do."

"Huh...so I guess we're alike," Bernadetta blushed a little, and in spite of what Byleth just said being a little sad in context, she smiled a little. "Well, we can be clueless together, right?"

Clueless? Not exactly a word Byleth had been called often, and he had to admit being called that made him chuckle slightly. Of course, once the gears in Bernadetta's head clicked, she immediately blushed and began to stammer at the idea of insulting her professor, to which Byleth just calmly waved her down before she overheated. Though that wasn't exactly the worst thing that could happen given a day like today. He patted her head a bit just to give her some assurance that he wasn't mad, before the two of them decided to get walking themselves. Staying put with the way things were would likely cover you quickly enough.

"PROFESSOR!"

Annette's cries could be heard from all way across to the other side of the dormitories, her waving up and down all the while.

"What is it, Annette?" Byleth asked.

"We should all make some snow angels!" Annette smiled. "Come on, there's plenty of room! You too, Ashe!"

"Oh no please, it's alright," Ashe said sheepishly. "I'm no good at that sort of thing."

"Oh you're overthinking it!" Annette said back. "All you do is lie down!"

And just like that, Annette proceeded to plop on the ground, spraying light snow on Ashe and Mercedes as she spread out into a snow angel, making Mercedes giggle the whole time before she eventually got in and joined them. As one could expect, Annette's snow angel was pretty much perfect while Mercedes' was kind of lopsided.

"So, that's what you do?" asked Byleth, genuinely curious.

"Yeah, there's nothing to it!" Annette said before tilting her head. "You never did one as a child, Professor?"

"Never," he shook his head.

"Well then, there you go!" said Annette. "You too, Bernadetta!"

"M-Me?!" Bernadetta squeaked. Get down in the snow when she was already cold? No way! "I-I'll pass!"

"Oh it's not hard, Bernadetta," smiled Mercedes. "It's actually a lot of fun."

Byleth was honestly a little bit curious, and it wasn't like he had too much else to do right now. Why not indulge his students in a little bit of this? It wasn't like he was much older than them to begin with. Giving a little shrug, he decided to join in, much to Bernadetta's surprise and Annette's delight. Of course, being as awkward as he was with everything casual, it took a while to kind of get the hang of it. It was actually kind of amusing to watch Byleth trying to do it next to Annette, so much so that Ashe actually decided to come join them. Even Bernadetta had to admit it was...

_"Wow...cute,"_ Bernadetta blushed at seeing her professor in such a way before shaking her head.

Honestly, Byleth wasn't entire sure if this fun, at least not the way Annette seemed to imply. Still, guess it was relaxing in a way, and the others seemed to be enjoying it so who was he to complain. Bernadetta had to admit she was getting intrigued, despite wondering if it would just make her colder. Still, if Byleth could do it, perhaps she could too. After another minute, she eventually got in and joined them, albeit feeling so awkward about doing it that she ended up going way too fast.

"Woah, slow down Bernadetta!" Annette came over, seeing the blushing girl going a little nuts on it.

"What?! Oh..." Bernadetta said as she tried to shake the snow she just got on herself. Yeah, she was definitely still cold.

"Hehe, I'm glad you joined in," smiled Annette before she looked at Bernadetta's attempt. "But..."

"Your snow angel looks more like a snow circle," Ashe pointed out.

Indeed, in her flustered state, Bernadetta had moved so fast that really all that was left was one big circle in the ground. Granted, many of the others weren't all that great either aside from Annette's, but Bernadettas was especially off, a thought that depressed her immediately.

"Oh...I knew I shouldn't have done it. It just turned out awful!" Bernadetta hung her head down, beginning to spiral into another round of self-deprecating monologueing. "Stupid Bernie! Can't even do a snow angel right!"

"Bernadetta, it's okay," Byleth came over and patted her on the shoulder. "I wasn't much better. There's nothing wrong with being off the first time."

"That's right!" Annette came back in. "You just need to practice a little more. Come on, I'll show you!"

"Trust me, you'll be a natural once Annette's finished," giggled Mercedes.

And so, rather amusingly, Annette grabbed both Bernadetta and Ashe and kept walking through through the admittedly pretty simple process. Seeing Bernadetta trying to control how much she constantly flailed her limbs about was kind of amusing to Byleth, but he kept that to himself. He could tell she was at least trying despite shrinking a bit in the face of Annette's unbound enthusiasm. Mercedes was at least there as a calming force to balance it out. From Bernadetta's angle though, she felt like this was Ingrid all over again, just with playing instead of sparring. At least she didn't feel like Annette was going to kill her though unlike her.

So, patiently, Byleth watched as Bernadetta learned how to make a snow angel. Thankfully it didn't exactly take as long as a school lesson, and Bernadetta was already showing a lot of improvement within a few minutes.

"See? That's much better," smiled Annette. "Just take it slow and even."

"O-Okay..." Bernadetta said as she tried to do just that, not feeling easy about it with so many eyes on her. Still, Byleth was watching too and just like any class she didn't want to disappoint him. She took it slowly, just letting Annette direct her as she willed. "How's that?"

"Much better!" cheered Annette. "Knew you could do it."

"Well done, Bernadetta," smiled Byleth. "Surely that warmed you up well enough."

"Oh uh yeah," Bernadetta blushed a bit, not feeling nearly as cold as she thought she would. "T-Thanks."

For something as simple as just playing in the snow, it was becoming surprisingly comforting for Bernadetta. Perhaps this wouldn't turn out as bad as she thought it would. Any event that got Byleth to smile at her like that honestly made her really happy. She might not even mind doing more of this...

"Hey, you guys look like you're having fun! Let me join in!" cried a booming voice.

Suddenly, everyone present felt a looming sense of fear as a giant was coming near them. Of course, it was Raphael, and he seemed to be taking an interest in what they were doing.

"W-Wait, Raphael, slow down!" Annette cried out.

Except it was far too late. Raphael was already doing his own.

"Oh dear," Mercedes said.

**FWOOOOOOOSH!**

Sadly, the others could only watch as Raphael's sudden dive and attempt at a snow angel himself only caused an avalanche of snow to flow everywhere around him, the man's incredibly strength and girth responsible for that. Perhaps it was out of instinct, but Byleth ended up getting in front of Bernadetta to shield her from the oncoming snow, causing her to hold on to him in the heat of the moment as the whole group was covered in snow. An awkward silence filled the air as Raphael got up, wiping his forehead from his little exertion of exercise, barely registering the little piles of snow that stood where the others were just a second ago.

"Well, that could have gone better," Yuri said sardonically.

"Oh I'm sure they'll be fine," Constance waved off.

"Whatever you say, shady lady."

"Hush!"

* * *

Bernadetta hoped she had shaken off the last of the snow that had lodged itself in her coat and pants after being unearthed (unsnowed?) from being covered nearly head to toe in it. Granted, Byleth by far had the worst of it when he had ducked around to cover her. Honestly, she had hoped he was okay more than anything. He didn't have to shield her like that, yet he did. An act that brought a shine of red to her face every time.

"Sorry professor," Bernadetta grumbled sadly.

Byleth was still getting everything out of his clothes, and he was sure that he still hadn't gotten out all of it even after spending five minutes getting it all out. He certainly never thought he'd get blanketed like that.

"It's not your fault, Bernie," Byleth assured her. "Needless to say, we were all surprised."

"Heh heh, sorry about that," Raphael smiled, scratching his head a bit. "You just looked like you were having so much fun, so I jumped right in."

"No one can fault your enthusiasm, Raphael," spoke Byleth. "Just...try to be a little more aware next time."

"You got it," Raphael nodded, his smile not wavering in the slightest.

At least everything seemed to be settling down from that little incident. Annette was actually buried for quite a while as Mercedes kept on trying to dig her out. She actually was nearly knocked out from the force of the snow on her, leaving her a little dizzy. Ashe wasn't quite as affected, and mostly took it in stride. Heck, he had quite a few snow experiences of his own from his past, so he was alright. Bernadetta herself was pretty much okay aside from just needing to get some snow out. She was more frazzled emotionally from that than anything else.

"Well, I didn't think snow would be such a foe," Byleth said as he finally got the rest out.

"Tougher than bandits?" Bernadetta asked, a small smile forming.

"I certainly can't say a bandit ever did that to me," Byleth replied, smiling a little as well. "Let's hope they don't learn."

"Indeed, who would want to know of your big weakness," Leonie suddenly entered the conversation, smiling herself. "Professor Byleth, felled by snowfall."

"Should we test how you'd fare?" Byleth asked, somewhat seriously.

"I'll pass thank you very much," Leonie put her hands up. "Besides, I've got my hands full already. Caspar wants to make snowmen. He thinks it'd be good training."

Making snowmen? Now that was something Byleth had at least seen before. Seeing children doing that in the Kingdom happened all the time, and you'd be surprised at how creative kids could get doing such a thing. Byleth had seen a lot of snowmen formed into many various different shapes, which had admittedly made him curious from time to time, given he never really could indulge in such matters himself as a mercenary. Besides, he didn't see too many older people partaking unless it was parents joining their kids.

"I've seen those from time to time," Byleth replied. "Are those fun to do?"

"I think they're alright. I did it with the young ones at my village all the time," nodded Leonie. "Probably more up your alley than snow angels."

She added a little laugh at that part, as if the idea sounded ridiculous, making Byleth raise an eyebrow before she finally turned and left. She seemed to be heading out towards the area near the pond and greenhouse, where there was a lot of wide open space and plenty of snow had fallen. Now Byleth was actually curious. He had already experienced one aspect of winter activities. Why not see another? At least this time he had some idea of what to do.

"Bernadetta, want to join me?" Byleth asked her. "You won't have to actually lay in the snow this time."

"Sure, as long as we don't get buried this time," Bernadetta nodded. She was still a little unsure from the last event, but she'd still rather be with Byleth than anywhere else at the moment.

They followed Leonie, who ended up walking down to the wide area around the greenhouse and pond. That was where most of the students were at this time, doing whatever they wanted. Dorothea looked like she was trying to get Edelgard to do something, to which the imperial princess just looked confused. Dimitri was speaking with all of his friend circle, the former Blue Lions. Sylvain seemed pretty animated, perhaps wanting to get them involved in some games, either that or to possibly hit on someone. The latter wasn't impossible, given Ingrid looked like she was about to clock him. Some other students were checking the pond, which hadn't frozen over but likely very cool all the same. Others were actually helping with the greenhouse, sheltering the plants from any potential cold that could harm them. Claude was even giving some assistance in that regard.

"Is the greenhouse going to be alright?" Byleth wondered out loud.

"I think I read somewhere that they have preparations in place for any kind of weather," Bernadetta piped up. "Guess it makes sense. They keep those plants around all year."

"Makes sense," Byleth nodded, before looking over to where Leonie went.

Immediately, Byleth began to wonder if they had started a competition or something, because there were quite a few people trying to put a snowman together like they were being driven to win. Then again, perhaps that was just him. Caspar was making some wild animations like he wanted it to be huge or something, to which Leonie didn't seem overly sure. The students did seem to be getting pretty creative with their designs, and the snow was compact enough to make it easy to use. This seemed to be attracting some of the others to join.

"Come on, Ingrid. One snowman," insisted Sylvain. "You're great at making them, and I've got some neat ideas."

"If those ideas involve making it look like a woman, I'm going to punch you," Ingrid replied dryly. "I'll do it, but my ideas only."

"Your ideas are always so by the numbers though," Sylvain sighed. "Like, the most generic snowman ever..."

"Come again?" Ingrid suddenly grabbed him, pulling him sideways.

"Ow ow ow!" Sylvain cried as Ingrid began to pull him away.

"Come on. Doing it was your idea in the first place so let's get to it."

And such, much to apparent amusement of Dimitri, Ingrid dragged Sylvain off to craft something together themselves. Byleth was rather amused himself, seeing Ingrid already thinking up her own designs for their snowman while Sylvain just sighed and shrugged his shoulders. If anything, the idea of planning out and putting together a snowman seemed like a good thinking challenge. Guess he couldn't help himself from thinking of that sort of thing. The price of being a teacher.

"Bernadetta, let's try one," Byleth said, getting her attention.

"Huh? R-Really?" Bernadetta was caught off-guard a bit. "I don't know. I'll just do another bad job."

"It's new for me as well, Bernadetta. We can handle it together," Byleth shook his head. "Besides, you're good at making things."

Bernadetta would hardly compare her crafting hobby to trying to put together a snowman, but she wasn't going to try and prove Byleth wrong in that regard. The concept seemed pretty straightforward. Roll up some balls of snow, get some twigs for arms, some pebbles for eyes, and maybe decorate it with other accessories. Many of the students taking part in it made it look pretty easy, which wasn't doing much for her nerves. Still, Byleth was taking the initiative and beginning to gather some snow for the base. With that in mind, she got on her knees and began to help with it, putting together what would serve as the middle. She didn't really put too much thought into it, but she rounded it off rather easily, forming a perfect middle for it.

"Well now, you seem to be enjoying yourselves," chuckled a familiar voice.

Bernadetta jumped a bit at the sudden intrusion, while Byleth just calmly looked behind him. Lo and behold, Claude was there standing above them, smirking as usual.

"A bit out of your element?" Byleth asked as calm as ever.

"Hey, I am perfectly capable of bringing out my inner child whenever I want," Claude winked. "I think seeing our own professor getting in the snow is helping everyone else to take it easy. This probably wouldn't be the place you typically see people acting like this."

"Well, I think it's alright," Byleth replied. "Things have been hard for everyone, and I wouldn't know if I experienced much of this in my own childhood."

"Fair point," Claude nodded, before putting a hand to his chin. "You know, we should think of something big to end today. The ultimate snow activity,"

"W-What would that be?" Bernadetta spoke up as she was placing the middle ball of their snowman.

"Oh, you'll find out soon enough. Wouldn't want to spoil it now," Claude smiled. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I think Ignatz needs help. See ya."

Indeed, it appeared that he did, given how he was clumsily trying to put his snowman together, and Marianne wasn't exactly being the most helpful. If anything, she was probably worsening things, making Hilda actually try to step in with how much it was driving her nuts. Truly, everyone's activity was interesting in its own right, and it made Byleth feel just a little better about indulging in this light-hearted activity. Even Bernadetta was feeling a little more comfortable with it.

Eventually, Byleth left to go find some sticks for arms along with some of the other students, including Ferdinand who said he was going to find the best ones, much to the chagrin of everyone else. Bernadetta watched as Byleth walked off, probably to where the forest was since it wasn't far and travel wasn't too hazardous to walk through right now. While that was going on, Bernadetta just waited quietly, occasionally looking out over the others who had remained. As she was thinking though, she messed around with the snow, seeing that she could mold it a bit.

"Huh...I wonder..." she began to think, an idea coming to mind.

At this point, she had actually stopped thinking about what everyone else was doing, and began to get fully enveloped in her own work. One wouldn't know given how often Bernadetta reserved her work for when no one was around, but she could get quite engrossed in it, to the point where she probably wouldn't notice if someone was behind her if she was neck-deep into an idea. This just so happened to be one of those times, and the idea of working with something new like snow was something that was surprisingly exhilarating. She wasn't even thinking about the cold anymore.

Bernadetta gathered more snow to attach new appendages to the snowman, forming it at the bottom into a pair of legs, not unlike that of a sitting teddy bear. The fact that she was so handy with her hands, something she rarely thought about, was really coming in handy to form the specifics of it. She even went so far as to make the base stronger for the middle portion, carving out new patterns in it that gave the impression of arms and hands. She was also able to delecately move her hands through the neck and down the middle, forming what could pass like a collar and buttons.

"Okay, now the head," she hummed to herself, rolling over more snow to the side to form the head she wanted.

All the while, she was unknowingly gaining an audience. Lorenz and Ignatz were both stunned into near silence.

"Amazing," Ignatz wowed. "It's as good as any sculpture I've seen."

"If not for the fact that it'd melt, I'd consider it worthy of being shown off at House Gloucester," Lorenz replied.

"What'cha looking...at...?" Hilda was walking over after letting the others work on her snowman. Her words stopped though as she gawked at Bernadetta's work. "Oh...my...gosh...that's unbelievable!"

"Truly she's a master craftsman," Constance came over. "And I'm not so easily impressed."

"I doubt that Coco," said Hapi. "But..it does look cute, not going to lie."

Despite the growing crowd, Bernadetta remained blissfully unaware. A part of her was getting the idea that maybe she could surprise Byleth upon his return, and it just made her work faster. She settled the ball she was using for the head on top of it, making sure if was secure before she continued. Once she was satisfied with that, she began to working the specifics. By this point, it was obvious that her snowman was less man and more bear. Not a shock given her tendency to design animals. Forming the mouth and ears was surprisingly easy for her, smoothing it all out to her liking. She even carved into it how she'd like the eyes to be.

"Okay and..." Bernadetta said to herself as she leaned back and looked it over. "Ah, not bad for a first try. Looks just like him."

To both Bernadetta and her unknowingly large peanut gallery, the shape of the bear's head as well as its eyes and overall demeanor looked very familiar. Kind of like that of a certain professor.

"Wow Bernadetta. Is the Professor a big bear to you?" chuckled Leonie. "I don't know. I think he's more wolf than bear."

"Oh come now, Leonie. Professor Byleth is very much a bear," giggled Dorothea.

"But wolves are ferocious and such, and Professor Byleth is just like that," laughed Caspar.

Just like that, it was suddenly made plainly aware to Bernadetta that she had an audience, one that had actually grown to include most of her classmates for that matter. Needless to say, the revelation was enough to make her brain go into overdrive.

"W-Where did you all come from?!" she cried out.

"Sorry...but we've kind of been here for a few minutes," Annette apologized with a weak smile. "We just got really curious about your work. It looks amazing."

"I agree. So much more original than Ingrid's work," Sylvain spoke up before getting elbowed in the ribs by said girl.

"That remark aside, I agree that it looks wonderful," smiled Ingrid. "Maybe you can put a spear in it's right paw and a shield in its left."

"I don't think being a warrior is the point," Ashe said sheepishly.

All the while, despite the glowing praise, Bernadetta's face was quickly going straight past red and into purple. It was one thing to caught unawares by one person at times in the past, but now she had her entire class just now watching her work on something silly. The way they were laughing had to be because they thought it was silly. Her mind had convinced her of such.

"What's going on?" asked a familiar voice.

Coming back from the little trek to get some branches, Byleth was welcomed to a rather large crowd around where he and Bernadetta had been working. Right at the sound of his voice, everyone looked back at him, with many of them laughing. Byleth raised an eyebrow at this, and even more so as they parted to let him through. Right as they did though, Byleth got a good look at the sight before him; seeing Bernie's "Byleth-Bear" right out in the open. Honestly, Byleth was stunned. He hadn't expected Bernadetta to actually move forward without him, but her craft work was something astounding to behold. Putting what he had brought down, he walked over to get a closer look, seeing a mortified Bernadetta sitting next to it.

"Bernadetta, you did all this?" he asked before looking back at it.

"Looks like you're quite the inspiration, Teach," Claude chuckled as he looked at it. "Perhaps it's her way of saying thanks."

"Well, whatever the case may be, thank you Bernadetta," Byleth smiled at her. "It's great."

_'I just did the whole thing myself. I didn't even let him help. Stupid Bernie! This is what you get for going off on your own. He'll hate you for it!'_

All Bernadetta could do was mumble incoherently, her eyes on the verge of rolling into the back of her head. Getting the sense that she needed time to relax, and that they had already spent hours out here, Byleth figured it was time they head in for a bit of lunch. Claude figured it was just as well since he wanted to gather everyone for a big afternoon event. To that it was, he wouldn't say.

And so, they retired to do just that, though not without a few more praise directed at the Byleth-Bear, a monument that stood well above its competition. Too bad its creator was currently having a panic attack while Byleth tried to comfort her.

Consider it just the first part was what was to be a crazy snow day in Garreg Mach.

* * *

**So, in the end, I actually decided to split this chapter up, because it was getting past 17,000 words and I really just didn't feel like putting all of it into one chapter.**

**With that in mind, this is just the first part. Hopefully it still holds up on its own and that nothing was lost when I copied things over to the next chapter.**

**Still, this is fun. Any chance I have to write on this wonderful cast of characters is a joy every time. There's a reason it's my new favorite cast in all of Fire Emblem.**

**In any case, please enjoy! Sentinel07 out!**


	9. Extra: Snow Day in Garreg Mach-Part 2

**Hello everyone! Sentinel07 here and I'm back with Part 2 of this little side story.**

**Honestly, doing this part was what ultimately convinced me to split it up. I didn't want to cram everything into just one chapter, so hopefully this way made it easier for everyone. On that note, not a whole lot to say. You know the drill and all.**

**So, I don't own anything as usual. Now let's get to business.**

**DIVINE PULSE!**

* * *

**Extra: Snow Day in Garreg Mach Part 2- Snowball Fight**

Everyone adjourned for a well-earned lunch after spending their morning playing around. Of course, some wondered just what Claude would be up to. Come to think of it, he hadn't been seen for a while. Still, everyone was in high spirits all the same, though it took Bernadetta a while to cool down from unknowingly being the center of attention. It took some assuring from Byleth that she was still okay. Byleth had the sense Bernadetta was feeling guilty about doing the snowman on her own, even though Byleth wasn't offended.

If anything, being able to see her having fun made the extra exercise feel worth it.

"It's alright, Bernadetta," Byleth smiled as they were exiting the dining hall. "Everyone loved your work. Me especially."

"You're...you're sure you're not mad?" Bernadetta asked shyly. "You...you didn't even get to do anything and I just went off on my own."

"Bernie...why would I be mad?" Byleth smiled again. "If anything I'm happy that you found something to enjoy."

Bernadetta's face was still red, but Byleth could see a hint of a smile on her turned face. She rubbed her hands together a bit, a sign that she felt genuinely moved by the praise. She seemed to be calmer at least, which made Byleth feel all the more assured, which he certainly needed given he wondered just what Claude wanted to do. Everyone seemed to be gathering together around the greenhouse/pond area, many of them not sure either.

"Hey guys. Sorry to keep you waiting," Claude was coming up behind them, accompanied by Alois, Catherine, Shamir, and Seteth. "Just had to get everything ready."

"For what?" asked Dimitri. From the looks of it, all of the major students had been corralled for this.

"This better not be a waste of time," Edelgard added.

"Relax, prince and princess," Claude replied. "I figure everyone will have some fun with this. The first annual Garreg Mach Snowball Fight!"

That created quite a buzz about the students. Many of the naturally more excited ones got stars in their eyes thinking about it, while a few weren't so sure.

"That's your grand plan?" asked Edelgard. "Isn't that a rather normal activity?"

"For most people, but I doubt your highness has experienced it much," Claude snickered. "I doubt you even thought about it, despite it being "normal" as you put it."

Edelgard raised an eyebrow but didn't add another word. Lysithea on the other hand looked like she just wanted to leave.

"Seriously? First snowmen and now this?" she asked. "It's so childish."

"Before you knock it sweetheart, hear me out," Claude chuckled, making Lysithea grip her hands. "I think this would be the best way for everyone to have fun and let loose. Besides, if you want to be strict about it, think of it like training too. After all, a snowball fight is not only a good workout but requires tactics and ingenuity. So why not knock out two birds with one stone."

"I feel like you're reaching, Claude," replied Edelgard sternly before she softened. "But...I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little bit intrigued."

"I haven't enjoyed a good fight in so long," smiled Dimitri. "I'll happily take part."

"Is that a good thing?" asked Sylvain. "If the prince participates, he'll likely take our heads off."

"I agree...for once," Ingrid crossed her arms.

"I...promise I'll restrain myself, Sylvain. Nothing to worry about," Dimitri replied wearily.

Well, if anything, the premise seemed to convince most, even if some were on the fence. Linhardt looked sleepy as always, and Lysithea hardly looked convinced at Claude's reasoning. However, for their credit, most of the others were into it. Bernadetta was kind of confused though, and she turned to Byleth, not wanting to say this out loud lest she embarrass herself.

"Professor, what exactly is a snowball fight?" she asked.

"To my knowledge, it's what the name implies," Byleth replied. "You roll the snow into balls and throw them at others. Generally, you get points for doing so and you win if you get the most."

"Oh..." Bernadetta nodded before turning back to him. "Okay, I get it. Sounds like it might hurt though."

"I've only done it once, when father and I were in a village briefly and all the kids wanted to play it," Byleth replied. "I... don't think I tried very hard back then."

Granted, it was Jeralt's idea to kind of let the kids win, though Byleth wondered if that was his father's way of messing with him.

"Of course, such an event needs supervisors to keep things fair," Claude continued. "Thus I have recruited our esteemed faculty to help out."

"Oh, you're not participating?" Byleth asked Catherine.

"Oh, I doubt you kiddos want to see me coming at you," Catherine laughed. "I'll just hang back and watch over you guys. Better behave yourselves though. I won't accept unnecessary roughness."

"That's rich coming from you," Shamir huffed.

"You don't have to worry! We shall judge with the utmost fairness and impartiality!" Alois announced. "Keeping an eye on you all shouldn't be that hard."

Of course, while all of this was nice, Seteth's presence was kind of odd, one that Flayn noticed immediately.

"Um, excuse me, Claude," Flayn spoke up. "As nice as this is, how did you convince my brother to join?"

"Because you're participating," Claude winked. "It was the perfect leverage to get a fourth judge."

"Oh...of course..." Flayn sighed, to which Seteth just crossed his arms. "Why am I not surprised?"

"In any case, I figured we'd pair up in teams of two," Claude began again. "The boundaries will be the walls of Garreg Mach. No going beyond those. Also no going up to the 2nd floor. It all has to be down here. Let's also try to avoid running through the dining hall and reception hall. Oh, and try to avoid the church because I don't think they'd like it. Everything outside of those is allowed. Sound good to everyone?"

"Sounds fair," Dimitri nodded. "We had similarly large battlefields in Fhirdiad."

"Well, I'm curious," replied Edelgard. "Of course, no matter what, I shall win."

"Whatever you say, princess," shrugged Claude. "Oh, and one other thing. Just to spice it up, we'll go elimination-style. A two-person team only gets to be hit five times. After that, you're out. Those knocked out can hang out around here until the contest is complete, or head inside to the dining hall or something. As long as we keep everyone together so we don't interfere with those still in.

"A competition huh? Sounds like you," laughed Hilda. "But will we be able to keep score?"

"That won't be too hard," spoke Shamir. "Keeping track of your lot isn't hard. Not any harder than your average bandit."

The idea of a competition intrigued some of those on the fence, though some like Felix and Lysithea didn't particularly like being compared to a common bandit by Shamir. That aside, some like Edelgard and Ingrid now looked genuinely interested to try out what amounted to combat training in a new way. Claude could only nod in approval that things were working out.

"So, there you have it. The battlefield is set!" Claude announced. "So, what are you standing around for? Go grab your partners!"

At Claude's proclamation, everyone suddenly began talking, and occasionally bumping into each other while trying to get their partners. Raphael wrapped his arm around Ignatz immediately, while Annette and Mercedes got together. Once again, Sylvain and Ingrid paired up, much to the latter's chagrin. Dimitri considered finding someone else to team up with but Dedue refused to be with anyone else, causing the prince to sigh. Claude didn't seem to be wasting much time finding his own.

"Hey, Lysithea!" Claude cried out.

"What?" she asked.

"Mind teaming up with me?" he asked. "With my schemes and your brains, we'd be pretty good together."

"Ugh," she sighed, crossing her arms. "Fine. Better you than anyone else I suppose."

"I'll take that as a compliment," Claude smirked.

"Hmph, I'm surprised you didn't team up with Professor Byleth on the spot," Lysithea added.

"I could have, but I don't have many opportunities to try my hand against Teach himself," Claude replied. "What better chance than now."

On the other side, Edelgard, while still having Hubert right next to her, was approached by Dorothea.

"Hey Hubie, what are the odds of you letting Edie join up with me for this?" smirked Dorothea.

"As if I would ever leave Lady Edelgard's side. You know that" Hubert sneered.

Edelgard of course wasn't surprised in the slightest by this, though she seemed to be contemplating something. "Hubert, this might be a good opportunity to see how your skills compare to mine. I confess I'm curious."

Hubert narrowed his eyes but didn't look surprised. If anything, there was slight amusement.

"Are you suggesting I take this opportunity to test myself?" Hubert chuckled darkly. "If you wish it, Lady Edelgard, then so be it."

"Wow, he actually agreed. I thought he'd put up more of a fight," Dorothea said. "Course now I guess he needs a partner."

"Mind if he and I do the joining?" Petra spoke up, as she had apparently been listening in.

"Is that a good idea?" Dorothea put a finger to her chin. "You're still cold and he's as cold-blooded as you can get."

The conversation more or less went as one would imagine between the current former Black Eagle students, but the pairs were set all the same. Meanwhile, Hilda was trying to find someone. She actually had a thought to grab Felix, but Ashe already got to him.

"Darn it, all the big guys are taken already," she pouted before looking at Caspar. "Well, he'll do. He's pretty strong anyway. Hey Caspar!"

"What's up Hilda?" Caspar asked as he waved her over.

"I still don't have a partner yet. Would you kindly team up with me?" she asked sweetly. "You're really strong after all.

"Sure, why not," Caspar laughed. "We'll take them all down!"

"Oh, you're so enthusiastic. That's why you're perfect," Hilda giggled, egging the little guy on even further.

Meanwhile, the remaining students were just about teaming up. Marianne had been standing over to the side by herself until Ferdinand approached her. She could only wonder why exactly he would be approaching her of all people.

"Marianne, would you like to be partners?" Ferdinand asked nicely.

"Oh, I don't know," the blue-haired girl said solemnly. "I'd just slow you down, or anyone else for that matter."

"Nonsense. I think the two of us would make a great team," Ferdinand continued, undeterred. "Just do your best, Marianne. You'd be surprised at what we could do."

"I...I see..." Marianne nodded, not sounding all too convinced. However, Ferdinand was one of those she had gotten to know well over the year. If he had confidence, perhaps she could try too. "I'll try my best."

The two of them shared a brief smile, which was interrupted when they suddenly heard Lorenz crying out as he was being dragged by Leonie.

"Excuse me, but why are you pulling me?!" Lorenz cried out.

"Why not? Surely being a big shot noble will make you a great partner," Leonie smirked. "And if nothing else, you'll be a nice shield. You're nice and tall after all."

"I am not your personal shield, Leonie," Lorenz snapped back. "I am a proud noble and I...!"

"Then do your job and protect the common folk," Leonie quipped back without missing a beat.

Yuri could only chuckle as he watched Leonie whip Lorenz to her liking. Such a thing would always be amusing to him. Speaking of Yuri, given no one was exactly lining up to ask him, he could only ask...

"Well then, shady lady, guess we'll be joining up," Yuri smirked at the unsuspecting blonde.

"What?!" she cried out as she looked around. Balthus was asking Hapi, who seemed completely indifferent to everything, making Constance look back and forth between them and Yuri, groaning all the while. "Oh come now... of all people..."

Despite her groaning, she seemed to accept it, figuring that she'd be victorious one way or another. Guess having the sneaky one of the group being her partner wasn't so bad.

Byleth smiled at all the students wrapping up with whichever partner he picked. Though, the more he thought about it, the more he noticed that nobody was approaching him. He overheard Claude mentioning that he'd like the chance to beat his professor, and he began to wonder if the other students were taking similar measures, pairing up with friends over him. Not that he took any particular offense to this. Everyone had their reasons, and he welcomed the chance to try out against any of them. That being said, it left him wondering just who to take as a partner for himself. That is until he realized something.

Looking to his right, Bernadetta was still standing there, and she hadn't been approached either.

"Nobody's coming here. Oh, that's good. I'm not being forced into anyone's team!" Bernadetta said to herself with a slight smile which quickly then changed to fear. "Wait...but doesn't that mean nobody wants me either? Oh of course that's the reason. Why would anyone want you, Bernie?!"

Byleth could already tell that that look meant. Bernadetta was about to go into another downward spiral. Given what he knew of the students, it probably wasn't too surprising that Bernadetta wouldn't be anyone's first choice. Not out of any dislike for the girl, but they had ideas with people they felt closer to. It was with that in mind that he started on his first instinct."

"Bernadetta, would you..."

Byleth barely got anything out before Bernadetta had latched on to his arm. The poor girl's face was as red as ever, her eyes closed shut. She probably grabbed him out of panic from her thoughts, which didn't help when she finally opened them and saw what she had done.

"Ahhhhh! S-Sorry!" Bernadetta cried out as she let go. "I-I just...I just...grabbed you without thinking. I'm so sorry!"

"It's okay, Bernadetta," Byleth replied, face slightly red from the close contact as well. "I was about to ask you if you wanted to team up with me since neither of us has a partner yet."

"O-Oh...you were just going to..." Bernadetta replied as she finally seemed to calm down. "U-Um...sure I'm okay with that. Not that I'll be much help."

Byleth smiled gently and patted the girl on the head a little. Guess they were both being a little on the outside looking in right now, but who said that was a bad thing anyway. At the least, with the two of them paired up, that just left Linhardt and Flayn to team up, to which Flayn just sweat-dropped at the prospect. Though, to his credit, Linhardt actually perked up at the prospect of getting to see Flayn in action, something that didn't assure her.

"Poor Flayn," spoke Annette. "Linhardt isn't exactly well-suited for this."

"On the contrary, it might just work out," spoke Ignatz. "Who would want to throw a snowball at her when Seteth's looking?"

It was right then that every pair got a pit in the core of their stomach, looking back and forth between Flayn's perplexed look and Seteth looking them on with his arms crossed. It was a look that could kill and probably did for all they knew. Well, in any case, hopefully, they were good to go, and Catherine clapped her hands.

"Alright, you got five minutes to find a place to start. You'll see a spell go off in the air when it's time. Now get out and enjoy yourselves, and of course, fair play only!" Catherine called out as everyone began to scatter.

There was chaos everywhere as pairs were trying to run off in all directions. Some of them were still arguing over what might be the best course, and others still needed to be convinced, like Ashe trying to get Felix to get into the spirit of it. Aside from that, most of the pairs seemed to have at least one idea of where they'd like to go. Some headed over to the marketplace, which worked just as well given it was a little cleared out by now. Others headed to the stables, given there was some good cover there, while others went past the dormitories. Claude didn't seem to be in a hurry, and he and Lysithea seemed to walk rather briskly while he began talking her ear off about something.

Bernadetta, naturally, was beginning to panic at the sudden dispersing.

"W-What now?!" she cried out, inching closer to Byleth. "What do we do?!"

Byleth immediately got to thinking. They had five minutes, so where would be the best place to head too in such a short time? Garreg Mach to his knowledge wasn't exactly full of great places to get a vantage point. Perhaps the greenhouse could make for a good place to hang out, but it wasn't that good a place to keep an eye out on everyone. To that end, Byleth could only think of one place he could think of right now.

"Bernadetta, let's make for the dormitories," Byleth spoke out. Honestly, he had no special reason for picking the place but it was better than nothing.

"O-Okay," Bernadetta replied, sounding just as unsure as he did, if not more so.

The two of them began running back up to where the dormitories were, going past some of the other pairs still looking for their own place to start from. They ran past the level with Bernie's room and back up a level. Byleth didn't have much of a plan, but he thought that at least hiding around the corner where his quarters might be could serve as a good spot. Granted, someone like Claude would consider him making that decision. Oh well, he'd come up with something eventually.

"All right, Bernadetta we can..." Byleth began to say as he looked behind him...only to find no one behind him.

Byleth widened his eyes a little bit as he looked back and forth, wondering where his purple-haired companion suddenly went. He turned his head back and forth, not entirely sure where she had left off. He had been so focused on getting to somewhere suitable before the time limit was up that he hadn't even checked back to see her. He had hoped she would follow by right behind him, though perhaps the fear got to her. Did she perhaps split off at her room down below? No, he was pretty sure he heard her footsteps coming up along with him...

_Rustle Rustle_

Byleth's ears suddenly picked something up somewhere to his right. It sounded like it was coming from one of many spaces in-between the dormitories, and it seemed to be getting louder. Immediately curious, he walked over and looked inside, finding a rather curious sight. There was his wayward companion, just slipping the last of her leg in-between a spot in the wall that he had never noticed before, perhaps because of the partial covering by foliage. He raised an eyebrow, partly because of this new discovery and partly because of who was now hiding behind it.

"Um, Bernadetta?" Byleth casually asked.

That earned a squeaky sound coming from inside the spot, an indication that she knew she was found out.

"O-Oh, h-hi Professor," Bernadetta replied, slowly revealing her head. "Um...s-sorry about that. It's just that...this whole thing seems kind of scary you know? M-Maybe I can just...hide out here. You'll be fine, right? Bernie'll just wait the day out in here."

Byleth sighed, not entirely surprised at Bernadetta's frightful behavior. She was already looking scared back when everyone else was gathered. Not to mention how embarrassed she felt regarding the whole snowman incident. Guess it was just a matter of time before she panicked. All the same though, just as with any battle, he didn't want to leave her to just hide all day.

However, the more he looked at Bernadetta, the more an idea came to mind. How did she even know a hole existed here? He never did before, and likely no one else did. And if that's the case...

"Bernadetta," Byleth suddenly spoke, "Are you aware of other places like this?"

"Huh?" Bernadetta cocked her head. "You mean like this hole? I mean...I suppose I know some, for when I want to hide but can't make it back to my room. Quite a few are connected too. Why?"

The gears in Byleth's mind were beginning to turn, and he swore he could even see Sothis smirking at the strategic possibilities here. Standing in front of him was a girl who was an expert at staying out of sight. He hadn't been able to make much use of that in their battles to date, but here...

"Bernadetta, you're a genius," he spoke, somehow maintaining a static look on his face when saying that.

"Excuse me?" Bernadetta blinked. Was he just referring to her?

"Move over," Byleth smoke again, his face not changing.

"W-What?!" Now Bernadetta's mind was beginning to get into overdrive.

"Make some room," he stated. "This will be the perfect spot for an ambush."

Bernadetta actually had no time to reply, as Byleth began coming inside anyway, brushing aside the foliage as he made sure no one else happened to be looking. From what he could tell, there seemed to be a decent amount of room, although his taller height would mean he'd have to bend a little. Could be worse he supposed. Being a mercenary gets you used to a lot of odd scenarios. The same couldn't be said for Bernie though.

"P-Professor! I-I don't know! Y-You're really close!" she shrieked. _'Way too close! Way too close! Ahhhh, we're practically face to face!'_

As Byleth was settling in though and working with the foliage to keep them hidden while additionally beginning to put together some snowballs, Bernadetta couldn't help but admit one thing through her frenzied mind. As tight as it was, it was kind of cozy, and probably the warmest she had felt all day. You know, with a little adjustment, they could probably comfortably hang out here...

**BANG!**

A fire spell burst in the air, signaling the beginning of the contest and letting Bernadetta know she wasn't going to have any peace for a while.

* * *

The initial moments of the snowball fight were complete chaos, which is what you'd think would happen with so many students running around. This was further emphasized by only having so many places they could run around without going inside. Still, it wasn't long before something became reality, that some pairs were simply just more talented or more into it than others, and others barely even had a chance.

This was something Flayn was learning firsthand as she and Linhardt were getting pounded.

"Um, Linhardt?!" she cried out. "I think we need to actually fight back!"

Whatever curiosity Linhardt had in Flayn wasn't exactly helping their situation given the fact that he wasn't even helping in firing off snowballs. Something that everyone else was all too willing to take advantage of.

"Here's another! Coming hot!" Caspar cried out as he was ripping balls left and right. Much like Flayn, his own partner wasn't exactly helping much, though it seemed to bother him less.

Of course, as expected, whoever was throwing in Linhardt and Flayn's direction was taking special care. Despite her team already taking blows, her clothes were completely clean. Rather, Linhardt was the one presently getting pelted, and the fact that he was barely even moving made him an easy target, so much so that Caspar had an easy time for Caspar to pelt him. Flayn, to her credit, didn't go down easy though, actually nailing Caspar once and hitting Hilda while she wasn't paying attention.

"Ow! Hey, are you even paying attention, Caspar?!" Hilda cried at Caspar, getting his attention.

"Hey, I'm trying my best here! It'd actually be nice if you could throw one every now and then," he said back, "For someone who uses a big axe, you should have a good arm."

"Why are they arguing?" Flayn cocked her head as she watched the two of them, though that gave her an idea. "Linhardt, we must retreat!"

"Hmm?" Linhardt was broken out of whatever he was thinking about as Flayn grabbed him and began running, getting them a good distance before Caspar and Hilda realized they were gone.

_Meanwhile_

"This is ridiculous," Felix groaned from his and Ashe's spot past the Knight's Hall.

"Oh come on Felix," Ashe tried to encourage him. "We'll be great at this with our combined skill."

"I'd be better off actually training," Felix retorted.

"It's close enough," Ashe shrugged. "Besides, I'm sure your other friends are going to enjoy it."

"I don't...," the swordsman began to retort again before he suddenly had to move his head to dodge a snowball.

"Oh, so close," Sylvain spoke from the other side of the area, Ingrid right next to him. "Might want to pay attention. Never know who might come upon you."

"Go annoy someone else, Sylvain," Felix groaned.

"You see, I could do that, but it'd be a lot more fun to take you down instead," Sylvain winked.

"Head's up!" Ingrid cried as she suddenly began sending one shot after another.

Felix and Ashe were now on the defensive, going around the corner to dodge Sylvain and Ingrid's blows. By this point, Felix was beginning to get really pissed off, not just from having to deal with this stupid game, but also having to deal with his "friend" hunting him down. He didn't think he could handle Sylvain of all people boasting about it.

So, which was the lesser of two evils?

"Grr...Ashe give me one of those," Felix said as he took one of the snowballs out of Ashe's hands.

"See? I know you'd come around," Ashe smiled.

Felix could only groan as he found himself indulging in this nonsense.

_Back at the Dormitories_

A little while has passed, and Byleth had kept perfectly silent. Bernadetta, to her credit, had also been silent somehow, probably still stunned into silence. Byleth's eyes hadn't left the little opening. No one had seen them so far, other than Shamir passing the two a quick glance as she was going by. Guess it made sense someone like her would figure them out.

"Come on..." Byleth spoke to himself.

And before long, he could hear footsteps, preparing himself and not making any noise, contrary to who was approaching.

"All right! Who's next?!" Leonie boasted. "I love this game!"

"Would...it kill you...to not pull me around?" Lorenz said, nearly out of breath. "I am a noble."

"Hey at least you're keeping me safe," Leonie smirked. "I'm still clean and we only got hit once."

"Yes, and it nearly..." Lorenz tried to say but Leonie wasn't listening.

"Now, let's go find the next target!" Leonie declared. "Though...I haven't seen Professor Byleth anywhere since we started."

"Doubtless he's got a few ideas," Lorenz replied. "Our professor won't be easy to defeat."

"That's what makes it the perfect opportun-OW!" Leonie cried out as she left something cold hit in her upper back.

She turned back, ready to hit her oppressor with a snowball of her own, only to find no one. As far as she could tell, there was no one else in this area of the dormitories. Leonie blinked as she looked back and forth, trying to look as much as she could. After a bit of looking, her attention was drawn to the wall of foliage nearby, it moving a bit despite the lack of wind.

"Leonie, if you've got that much time to look, we should consider moving. No doubt others will be coming soon," Lorenz said.

"Fine..." Leonie groaned, still feeling weird about leaving his be.

Byleth could hear the footsteps fading away, smiling to himself. This was working well so far. Leonie wasn't the first to fall victim to this little scheme, rather it was the fifth time Byleth got someone without them finding out what was going on. That being said, it seemed apparent to him that they were starting to catch on somehow. It would be wise to change venues quickly.

"All right, Bernadetta we should move," Byleth spoke.

"Do we have to?" Bernadetta spoke for the first time in a while. "I'd rather just stay here."

"They'll catch on eventually," Byleth shook his head, before beckoning to her. "Is there another area where we won't be easily seen."

"I mean, I suppose there's one near the greenhouse," Bernadetta replied. "Why?"

"Then that'll be our next spot," Byleth smiled. "Your hiding skill will be key to us winning."

Bernadetta just blinked.

* * *

"You got any grand ideas?" Lysithea asked as she crossed her arms.

"Well, we should first whittle down the competition," Claude replied. "I'm most curious to see what Teach will pull on us."

"While I too am curious to see what Professor Byleth will come up with, I'd imagine he'll be handicapped to an extent," Lysithea replied. "After all, who's he got as his partner? Bernadetta? I wouldn't be surprised if she just hid the whole time."

"Maybe, but Teach is good at using all of our talents in battle. I wouldn't put it past him to concoct something that works to their advantage," Claude said. "Still, we should work on the others. I see Ignatz and Raphael just around the corner. They should be easy outs."

Lysithea couldn't argue with that. Ignatz looked like he was as stiff as a statue, and while Raphael was strong, he wasn't exactly accurate. Decent thinking would put any team above theirs. Plus, it would really help to clear the area and get a place to strategize, as much as she would would much prefer getting a good book and some hot chocolate. You know, hot chocolate sounded really good right now. Why hadn't she had that yet...

"Hello? Fodlan to Lysithea!" Claude snapped his fingers in front of Lysithea's face. "Not like you to space out. Little lost in la la land?"

"Claude, be quiet," Lysithea fought to keep her cheeks from reddening any more than they already were after getting caught with her head elsewhere.

In any case, it was time to put Claude's own plans into action. He had a ways to go until he could get his shot at Byleth. He was very curious to see how it would all turn out.

As Ignatz and Raphael were clumsily getting together, it was only a matter of time before they would be utterly destroyed by Claude and Lysithea. Predictably, the two of them didn't stand much of a chance, not that Raphael was all too concerned about it anyway. All it meant to him was an early snack break. Given Ignatz was a little iffy on the cold more or less worked out for the both of them.

Balthus could only watch as he and Hapi were near, watching the slaughter.

"Heh, should have figured Claude and the little lady would be a challenge," Balthus smiled with snowballs in hand. "This'll be fun."

"B, I don't think you should be admiring them," Hapi responded nonchalantly. "Aren't you supposed to, you know, hide or something?"

"The Snowy King of Grappling doesn't need to hide," he smirked back. "My muscles will do all of the heavy lifting."

"Right, because I'm sure Raphael thought the same thing," Hapi really was fighting the urge to sigh right now. This was going to hurt. She just knew it.

And her own fears were confirmed when Claude and Lysithea saw them and Balthus just charged in like a maniac. Well, at least he'd be the one getting hurt instead of her. Then she could get somewhere warmer.

* * *

Locating themselves near the greenhouse, Byleth was keeping track of the teams running back and forth. He looked around the corner, occasionally seeing other teams running by. He kept Bernadetta by his side at all times, making sure she wasn't seen, not that that was a particular problem. Bernadetta was good at hiding all on her own after all. If anything, it was mostly just to make sure he knew where she was.

In any case, they had been hanging around the western side of the monastery for a while now, and Byleth wanted to move towards the east. Staying in one place would be a bad idea, and he was sure some of the others would catch on before long. He had asked Bernadetta if she knew of any other spots in that direction. The closest she could offer was one near the stables behind the horses. Good enough for him, he decided.

"What now?" Bernadetta asked from behind him. She was kind of hoping perhaps they could just lay low here the whole time. The greenhouse made for nice company and they likely wouldn't be caught by anyone else.

"As soon as the coast is clear, we should make a run towards the stables," Byleth replied. "I want us to get a better angle to get a look on the others."

Bernadetta sighed. Really, just staying right here would be great. Hiding in the greenhouse was so calming, and it was unlikely that anyone would find them here as long as they were quiet. But, that wasn't going to happen. Not with Byleth of all people. He was way too determined to do everything right. Same mentality he had on the battlefield. Yet, she couldn't deny such a thing was part of why she felt safe around him to begin with.

After watching a couple more teams run by, yelling all the while as they did, Byleth determined that the coast was clear, motioning to Bernadetta to come with him. The two of them began meticulously making their way across, ducking around corners just in case someone happened to run by. They could occasionally hear the yells of other nearby, though thankfully they couldn't see any. Byleth kept creeping them forward, moving over to where the entrance to the reception hall was.

"Coast is clear," Byleth murmured as they continued slowly.

Honestly, the fact that it was so quiet was worrying. There were a few students that were way too good at being silent, including a few he could immediately think of that worried him the most. The fact that he hadn't seen those he was thinking of in a while only made it worse. Claude was bad enough, but Ashe was a former thief and knew his way around. Plus, there are also the Wolves...

Yuri would not be the best person count against in a contest like this. If anything, Byleth feared him just as much as anyone else. One could only wonder where he would set up shop. Still, if they could just get over, they could find a nice spot to figure out their next move. Suffice to say. Bernadetta wasn't as confident. Something was making her danger senses go off more than usual.

"Let's go. The stables are just across," Byleth motioned to Bernadetta as they began to move across the entrance to the reception hall.

It seemed easy enough, if a little quiet. Perhaps too quiet.

"Ah, so that's where you're headed."

Byleth's eyes widened as he looked to his left, seeing the Savage Mockingbird himself waiting just inside, perfectly covered so you couldn't see from the outside, and he and Constance had a clear shot at the two of them. Of course, Bernadetta noticed too, her fears all but confirmed especially since it was _him _she was staring down.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Bernadetta shrieked, holding on to Byleth for dear life. "Save me!"

"Gah!" Byleth groaned as he grabbed Bernadetta.

"That's fine. You'll both go down anyway," Yuri smirked.

"So sorry Professor, but we have the advantage now. Ha ha ha ha!" laughed Constance as she began tossing snowballs.

Byleth's instincts immediately kicked in, ducking around Constance's shots, though one of Yuri's grazed his coat. Grabbing Bernadetta, Byleth took the only route he could, going down the steps to the marketplace, running as fast as possible without slipping on them. Yuri and Constance engaged a full pursuit, following the two of them down as well. There were fewer merchants thanks to the snow, but there were a few, making for Byleth and Bernadetta to have to swerve their way through.

"Hey, watch it!" yelled one merchant.

"Sorry!" Byleth replied back as he and Bernadetta ran past the stand, heading along the wall.

Yuri kept on bombarding the two with snowballs as they passed between stands, with not many of them actually hitting. Still, he was keeping a good rhythm going with Constance supplying many of the balls. Plus, Byleth and Bernadetta were quickly running out of room, something she was quick to notice.

"Oh no, we're doomed!" she cried out. "We'll be trapped here and then it's all over!"

"Not yet," Byleth looked at her. "We'll find a way out."

"You sure?" Bernadetta spoke, downcast. "This is looking pretty hopeless. Plus, Yuri is really scary."

"Well, I won't deny he's crafty," Byleth spoke, just barely dodging another snowball when he tried to move past one of the tents. "But we'll find some way to get through, one way or another."

One really had to admire Byleth's ability to stay calm in any situation, both her and at the battlefield. Bernadetta could almost feel herself believing that they could make it out somehow, even if not by much.

"Keep them coming," Yuri commanded Constance. "He's all ours now."

However, right then, Yuri felt the supply of snowballs stop coming, leaving his hand hanging awkwardly. He hummed to himself, wondering what was going on.

"Um, you still there?" Yuri asked.

And as he looked back, his eyes were close to popping out of his skull, as his partner was looking considerably more downcast.

"Oh, right," Constance replied gloomily. "I'll try, though I'm sure you'd be much better at it."

Yuri was admittedly a little flabbergasted that this would happen now of all times. Of course, he also wondered just how, to which the answer was just up in the sky. The sky had been completely overcast all day, but there had been a small break that had lead to a little bit of sunlight coming down on the monastery, inevitably having its typical effect on the House Nuvelle heir.

"Oh you've got to be kidding me," Yuri groaned. Just his luck that this would happen at this moment.

Byleth was surprised at the sudden turn himself, but who was he to look a gift horse in the mouth. Yuri was distracted, which left them the opportunity to run.

"All right, Bernie lets..."

Byleth turned, only to see Bernadetta not behind him. However, he only needed to hear the sound of rapid footsteps running through snow to see her running off way ahead of him. Guess she decided to run as soon as Yuri turned around. Byleth wasn't quite sure whether to praise her for her instinctual timing or lecture her for leaving him behind. He chuckled to himself all the same. He'd figure that out later. Taking her cue, he ran along the edge of the marketplace. As he was doing so though, he saw her duck into one of the rocky corners behind a tent. Another hiding spot he assumed. Welp, far be it from him to say otherwise.

He ran past the corner, seeing Bernie tucked neatly behind it, easily obscuring them from sight. Bernadetta didn't quite look at Byleth in the eyes as he came in though. If anything, she almost looked as downcast as Constance.

"Sorry for running without you, Professor Byleth," Bernadetta groaned. "Before I knew it, I was already running. I didn't even know this was here."

"It's alright, Bernie," Byleth assured her, putting a hand on her head. "It at least got us out of harms way. We can discuss the finer points of abandoning your professor later."

If any other teacher said that, Bernadetta likely would have felt the color drain from her face, but Byleth of all people saying it made it feel more like he was teasing her, which she admittedly didn't like much either. Still, it was better than being in trouble at least, even if hiding was all she was contributing to this contest so far, a thought that conflicted her.

Meanwhile, Yuri dealt with his difficult partner.

"Hey, shady lady, you mind putting aside the pity party until after this?" Yuri got his partner to stand back up.

"Okay, that's fine with me. I'm sorry for being so useless," Constance droned on.

"Sigh...I suppose I should be glad you're not like this in an actual life or death situation," Yuri said. "Now where did the professor go this time?"

"I think we might have bigger things to worry about," Constance pointed to the top of the stairs.

There stood Sylvain and Ingrid, both poised and ready to go.

"Oh this should be fun," Sylvain smiled, tossing a snowball in his hand. "And we were just looking for a new target."

"Oh boy," Yuri shook his head. Guess he wasn't going to have his shot at Byleth any time soon, and he had his partner like this until the clouds came back.

It wasn't too long before Sylvain and Ingrid were charging to their new targets, obviously not aware of Byleth and Bernadetta's presence. As Byleth began to slowly move himself and Bernadetta out, it actually became a pretty fierce brawl, with the two teams throwing balls left and right, even more so once the clouds finally came back and Constance was actually running on full speed again.

There was enough snow flying that Byleth and Bernadetta were able to slowly sneak back up the stairs towards their original destination. Bernadetta was especially all too eager to get away. Sylvain, Ingrid, and Yuri all being in the same place wasn't giving her the best feeling in the world.

"Still, that was awfully convenient," Byleth wondered to himself, thoughts that reached a certain someone.

**"Don't look at me! I didn't do anything! You're on your own!" **spoke an indignant Sothis.

* * *

"You're mine now, Edelgard," Ferdinand smiled.

Okay, they had some lumps here and there, but Ferdinand was sure he could prevail over Edelgard this time. He and Marianne were down to their last out right now, but they had done well eliminating some of the others, much to Marianne's surprise. Looking Edelgard and Dorothea over in the clearing, he was readying his shot. He wasn't sure how many outs left Edelgard had, but it didn't matter. He'd make sure he was prepared.

"You ready, Marianne?" Ferdinand smiled. "Now we move in on Edelgard."

"Are...you sure that'll work?" Marianne said as she gingerly held her ball.

"Have confidence, Marianne," Ferdinand didn't skip a beat. "You're the reason we've made it so far."

Marianne wasn't sure she believed that, but Ferdinand had encouraged her the entire way and they had done well. She supposed she could feel better about this, even if he had done most of the work. All that said, the two of them began to creep their way towards Edelgard and Dorothea, the two of them being just as wary to their surroundings.

"Stay on guard, Dorothea," Edelgard said with a hint of exhaustion. "Someone's nearby."

"Not that surprising," Dorothea replied, sounding even more tired than she did. "There's probably not many teams left."

Ferdinand was feeling pretty confidant about this, getting all too closer to Edelgard and beckoning Marianne closer to him. Yes, this would be the moment he'd finally beat Edelgard at something. Hey, it was still something even it if was sport. It'd be something he could hang on his wall at least. Edelgard and Dorothea were just about in firing range. Any second now...

"And...NOW!"

At his command, Ferdinand and Marianne both let loose their balls in close proximity to Edelgard and Dorothea. Marianne's didn't really get close, but Ferdinand's was zooming straight for Edelgard's head.

"AH!" Edelgard cried out as the ball hurled towards her.

With insanely good reflexes, Edelgard was able to duck her head from Ferdinand's snowball. However, that wasn't the only surprise in store, another snowball was apparently coming in from the opposite side, missing Edelgard as well and heading straight for Ferdinand instead. The poor guy barely even had a chance to get out of the way before the ball nailed him right in the face.

"Ahhhh!" he cried out, wiping the cold substance from his face. "Ugh, where did that come from?"

"Grr...how embarrassing..." groaned a dark voice.

Ferdinand looked over to where the other ball had come from, and noticed that his own ball had actually hit Hubert square in the face as well, falling off and leaving a very sour look on the retainers face.

"Wait so..." Ferdinand just put two and two together. "Did we just take each other out?"

"That's correct," Catherine came out of nowhere. "That was both of your last lives so to speak. Both Ferdinand and Hubert's teams are out!"

"So, we both had the losing?" Petra frowned, letting down the ball she was about to throw. "I have disappointment."

"Well, I admit you both surprised me a little," said Edelgard as she got some of her hair out of her face. "But, it wasn't enough."

"So sorry Ferdie, Hubie," giggled Dorothea. "Better luck next time."

The two confounded Empire nobles were left wondering what just happened as Edelgard and Dorothea continued on their way. Ferdinand was practically left with his jaw hanging open at what just happened. Not only did he fail to take down Edelgard, but Hubert was the one who eliminated him. That felt like an insult through and through.

"Of all people, it's you," Ferdinand frowned at the dark retainer.

"Believe me, it's no comfort to be eliminated by you," Hubert frowned back before a snake-grin appeared. "But, as it were, it shows you are still far behind Lady Edelgard."

"I'd watch that tongue if I were you," Ferdinand got up in Hubert's face.

"Are you going to do something about it?" Hubert sneered back.

"Hey, what did I say about fair play?" Catherine retorted toward the two nobles.

Her words seemed to be falling on deaf ears though. Ferdinand and Hubert continued to give each other death glares, with Ferdinand not letting this go in the slightest. The confrontation wouldn't end until Catherine literally put Thunderbrand in-between the two of them.

* * *

"Ha ha, how convenient," Dorothea smiled. "Taking each other out at the same time. Two less teams for us to worry about."

"Indeed," Edelgard replied, putting her hand to her chin. "There can't be many teams left, but I have yet to see Professor Byleth's team at any point in this contest so far."

"That's true, and I haven't seen Claude either." Dorothea mused. "That probably doesn't bode well. I can only wonder what he has planned."

"Nothing good, that's for sure," nodded Edelgard. "But be that as it may, we have gotten this far. A little further and we shall be victorious."

"Nothing gets you down for long, huh?" Dorothea smirked. "That's why picking you was a good idea."

"Glad you seem to have your priorities straight," Edelgard sighed, but didn't take it to heart. It was well-known to her how much Dorothea could tease.

In any case, from their spot near the Knights Hall, they tried to not make themselves obvious. They weren't sure just who else was still in at this point beyond the two obvious teams. They were creeping closer to the resting area near the snow-covered tables and trees around, not hearing anyone else in the immediate vicinity.

"Brr, it's kind of eerie like this isn't it?" Dorothea asked as they moved around the tables. "Even most of the other students aren't out."

"Most of them probably don't like the cold to begin with," Edelgard replied. "All the same, it just means more room for us..."

Edelgard's words trailed off near the end, pulling herself and Dorothea over near the trees. She swore she heard something, and her instincts with this sort of thing were pretty keen, or so she believed. She moved Dorothea behind her, keeping an eye on where she thought she heard the rumbling. It resulted in an awkward silence, with Dorothea wanting to ask what was wrong but not saying anything for the sake of not wanting to break Edelgard's concentration. Still, nothing happened for a good while, making Edelgard wonder if it was just the wind.

But then...

"Chasing ghosts there?!" came the voice of Leonie as a ball came racing past.

Edelgard watched the ball fly past her head, making her duck and turn towards Leonie, who was running past.

"You missed!" Dorothea cried out, ready to retaliate.

"Did I?" Leonie smirked as she and Lorenz ran by.

Both Edelgard and Dorothea looked to each other in confusion, until they heard shifting above them. Leonie's shot had missed them, but instead hit the tree nearby, which was carrying an abnormal amount of snow on it. Furthermore, her snowball had actually loosened it, and the snow was about to come barreling down on both of them.

"Well d-"

Dorothea's words were cut off by the shower of snow that fell off the snow, just about burying both of them completely in a mini avalanche that could be heard all around. It muffed out both girl's yells before they could even come out of their mouths, resulting in a large pile right around the trees and tables. It took a few seconds for either of them to pop their heads out from underneath.

"Ugh...how did I not see that coming?" Edelgard cursed to herself.

"Does that mean we lose?" Dorothea spoke after she popped her head out as well.

"As of now, you have," Edelgard soon felt her shoulder touched by a snowball held by Lorenz. "And if I'm not mistaken, that was your last one."

"Correct," spoke the voice of Shamir, who had been officiating from nearby. "Edelgard and Dorothea, you're out."

"Damn," Dorothea pouted. "And so close too."

"Sigh...well you outsmarted us, I can't deny that," Edelgard sighed as she brushed all the snow off her and helped Dorothea out. "That was a shrewd move, Leonie."

"Gotta use whatever you got," Leonie smiled. "The fact that you just so happened to be in the perfect spot helped out."

All in all, Leonie and Lorenz's team advanced, leaving Edelgard and Dorothea to their own devices.

"Well, guess we got a little bit of time until it's over," said Dorothea. "Want to grab a snack?"

"May as well," Edelgard replied, though her thoughts turned to how Byleth must have been doing. "We didn't see Professor Byleth once. I doubt he's been eliminated, so he must have hidden very well."

"Given his partner, that doesn't surprise me," giggled Dorothea.

* * *

Byleth's hit and run strategy seemed to be working. Bernadetta always seemed to have some idea of where to hide out whenever they needed it. For sure, they were likely confusing many of the students by this point. From her perspective, Bernadetta wasn't entirely sure how this was happening. Was it a good thing that Byleth kept asking her for hiding spots? He seemed pretty happy about it, so did that mean she was doing a good job? She couldn't tell if this was something to feel happy about or just kind of sad.

In any case though, from their spot in the stables, it had gotten much quieter. Most of the teams had to have been eliminated by now, and he was sneaking up on Annette and Mercedes.

"Where are you..." Annette wondered to herself.

"My, it's kind of scary when it's so quiet," Mercedes spoke out.

"That just means we have to be extra careful," Annette said. "I don't know how, but the professor has been catching all of us off guard. He just snipes us, disappears, and then does it again. When this is over, he needs to teach me that."

"I don't know, Annie," giggled Mercedes as she held her own snowball. "The Professor is good at it because he's so quiet. I'm not sure if that'd suit you."

"Are you saying I talk too much, Mercie?" Annie replied, slightly indignant but giggling a little.

"Hehe, all I'm saying is-AH!" Mercedes cried out as she left a ball hit her in the shoulder. "He got me!"

Annette quickly turned around, seeing Byleth in all his glory. Surprised, she shot her ball at him, which fell over to his right. Byleth moved over to the left, moving out of the way of further retaliation from the two of them. Two more snowballs came his way, just glancing by him.

"We got you now!" Annette cried out, ready to pounce on Byleth. However, Mercedes didn't seem as confidant.

"Annie, we've got company!" she shouted.

"What?! Ahhhh!"

Taking advantage of their distraction, Leonie had snuck up behind them, and she and Lorenz were presently pelting the two of them way beyond the amount of hits they had left.

"Ah ha, this works out for me!" Leonie smiled. "Not only do I get another team out of the way, but I finally know where you are, Professor! First Edelgard, and now you!"

With the realization that Leonie's team took down Edelgard's, Byleth was even more on alert now. On the other side, Mercedes consoled Annette as the latter couldn't believe she got caught off-guard like that. The two removed themselves from the field, though not before wishing good luck to the remaining teams. Byleth couldn't quite remember who was left, but that was the least of his concerns with Leonie barreling down on him with Lorenz in tow.

"I notice that Bernadetta isn't with him," Lorenz noted. "Come to think of it, I don't believe anyone else has seen her."

Hearing all this, Bernadetta gulped from inside the hiding spot.

"Probably waiting in ambush," Leonie spout confidently. "Which is why I'm taking him out before that happens."

Bernadetta blushed a little at their assumption, partially out of guilt. All she had done so far as just lead Byleth around from place to place, while not even taking part of any sense of strategy making or even ball throwing. She just sat back and hid every time they encountered one of the other teams, kind of making her feel guilty about the whole thing. Byleth didn't raise any complaints, as he always seemed to be able to adapt, but it didn't make her feel any better.

So far, Byleth was holding strong as always, being able to get a handle on where Leonie and Lorenz's shots were coming from. Bernadetta had to admire how he was always able to hold himself in any battle, even if it was something for fun like this. She had, of course, participated along with him in so many battles over the months, yet even now hiding was her first instinct. Maybe that was just something she would always be...

"Dang it!" Leonie cried out as she brushed off the snow from Byleth's last shot. "How you're able to dodge so many shots. Guess that's why you're the professor."

"Well, you're quite the opponent as well," Byleth replied, wiping off one of Leonie's shots that hit.

"A very well done fight indeed," announced Alois who was coming by. "Leonie and Lorenz take 3rd place. I'd say that's worthy of congratulations."

"3rd?" Lorenz asked. "Who's left?"

"Aside from Byleth and Bernadetta, there's Claude and Lysithea," explained Alois. "Actually, they've probably been the most effective duo so far."

"Ugh, to be beaten by Claude," Lorenz huffed. "How humiliating."

"Well, good luck to the both of you," Leonie said, getting over her defeat relatively quickly. "You'll probably need it."

"Indeed," Byleth crossed his arms, looking back between them and the hiding spot where Bernadetta was.

This wouldn't be easy. Both Byleth and Bernadetta could only wonder how to out maneuver him.

* * *

"Hmm..." Byleth hummed to himself as he and Bernadetta were rounding about a corner.

"W-What now?" Bernadetta cried out behind him, not sure where they were going now.

"I'm not sure," Byleth replied, surveying their surroundings. "But we need to get somewhere where we have more of a viewpoint."

This was the first time he had ever faced Claude as an opponent in such a situation, and even after all these months, he felt he barely understand half the things in the Reigan heir's mind. The best he could think of was get to a place where it would be less likely to be caught off-guard, but Claude could turn any place into his own vantage point. Byleth and Bernadetta had a few shots remaining thanks to their tactics before, and they'd need all of them here.

While Byleth was keeping himself calm, Bernadetta's own paranoia was getting the best of her. She, of course, was so stranger to Claude's antics, and with Lysithea on his team, who knows what they could do. Just the thought of it was making her knees shake. Oh how she wanted to just hide somewhere. It was like thinking a ghost could pop out at any time.

"Um...P-Professor?" Bernadetta cried out. "I think...I think I don't want to be out here."

"It's okay Bernadetta," Byleth tried to console her. "We'll find them somehow."

Bernadetta truly wanted to believe his words, but the eerie quietness in the air as they traveled only served to scare her more. It kind of reminded her of Petra's whole "hunter and prey" conversation from a while ago. She very much felt like the "prey" right now.

Byleth kept on making glances as they began to reach the western side of the monastery near the dormitories. He didn't see anyone, so it looked clear. He moved slowly, trying not to put him in a position where Claude could have him surrounded.

"All right, Bernadetta lets..." Byleth began to say, until he felt a lack of a body behind him, making him turn around. "Bernadetta? Not again..."

And this time, he couldn't see at all where she had gone. Perhaps to another hiding spot but even he couldn't tell where from where he was standing. He gritted his teeth a little. He figured Bernadetta would be unsettled, but perhaps he underestimated how much. Well, not much he could do right now. He couldn't waste time searching for her. He began to make a move...

Until a snowball landed right at his feet, just barely scraping by him.

"Ah, so close! Nice one, Teach!" cried a voice from above, forcing Byleth to look up. There was Claude, somehow hanging up on the walls through some of the foliage. "Thought for sure I had ya there."

"Should have known you'd go for the high ground," Byleth replied, snowball in hand.

"And I admittedly was surprised by your strategy," Claude winked. "Using Little Miss Varley to find the best hiding spots. Clever Teach. Is that why she's not with you right now?"

Byleth didn't answer, instead throwing towards Claude who swung away and dodged it. While Claude was up there, it'd be hard to get a good shot on him, which made Byleth wonder if he should focus on Lysithea, who also seemed to be absent. Where could she be?

"I'd watch your back, Professor,"

Suddenly, a splash of cold landed on Byleth's back, stunning him a bit. He turned back immediately, seeing Lysithea rising from a bigger clump of snow.

"How?" Byleth asked.

"Lysithea blends in pretty well, doesn't she?" Claude chuckled. "All light colors and all."

_'I swear, I'm going to kill him,'_ Lysithea thought in her mind before returning to her task. "In any case, we got you surrounded, Professor."

Grunting, Byleth rolled to his side, dodging some more shots from Lysithea and another from Claude. By his calculation, his team only had two shots left before they were eliminated. Furthermore, he wasn't sure how many Claude and Lysithea still had. It was an arduous task for sure. With that, Byleth rolled behind a corner, just barely dodging a glancing shot.

_Meanwhile_

Bernadetta had a good look at everything going on from the hiding spot she found, seeing Byleth struggling on his own against two of the smartest students in the Academy. Two sides of her were at war right now; part of her feeling nice and secure where Claude and Lysithea couldn't see her, and the other part berating her for just leaving him to fight on his own.

_He's fighting out there all on his own! Help him!_

_But I won't be of any help! All I'm good at is running away! It's nice and safe in here._

_You wouldn't say that if we were fighting bandits instead, wouldn't you?_

Her thoughts just went back and forth, looking out over the slightly obscured sight in front of her. Byleth had done just about everything for them this entire time, with the only thing of her doing being just finding places for them to hide out. She looked down at her knees, seeing plenty of snow around her for her to craft some balls of her own, but her hesitation kept her rooted to the spot. Truth be told, she was feeling guilty about the whole thing. Just like in battle, Byleth always seemed to have more confidence in her abilities than she ever did. It was always scary, yet she couldn't deny feeling kind of happy whenever he did compliment her, like she actually could do all those things. She looked back and forth between the snow at her knees and the battle raging outside.

"Oooooohhhh..uggggghh...I can't leave him all alone..." she sighed, putting her hands to her face. "Okay Bernie...just go out there...and start throwing...who cares if you get hit in the face..."

Okay, this internal pep talk was going absolutely horribly. Still she willed herself to actually start putting together some snowballs, flinching a bit at whenever she heard a snowball hitting outside. She could only hope to actually be of use to Byleth before it was too late...

_Back Outside_

Byleth ducked behind a corner, just barely avoiding another shot from Claude. By this point, he was almost gassed, having constantly dodged shots from both opponents.

"Gotcha now, Teach!" called Claude, with him and Lysithea having cut off any paths for Byleth. "Guess we got you this time."

"Bernadetta doesn't appear to be showing up," Lysithea spoke. "Guess she ran off. It's a little late to set up an ambush."

"I suppose you're right," Claude replied. He wasn't entirely sure about that, but given how Byleth hadn't done anything with his back against the wall, it was hard to think otherwise. "In any case, let's end this."

Byleth looked back and forth, not seeing much avenue out of this. He had come this far basically on his own as far as the combat went, but perhaps beating two of the academy's brightest minds was tough even for him. It wasn't like he had ever faced Claude before after all, and Lysithea could strategize with the best of them. Honestly, Bernadetta's help would be appreciated right now, but Byleth had already accepted that she probably wouldn't want to, hence why he hoped her helping with their hiding spots would be good enough. Perhaps this was what he got for underestimating his students. He should have talked over a strategy with Bernadetta when he had the opportunity.

"And..." Claude began to wind up.

Byleth began to brace himself, holding on to the last snowballs he had made. The best he could hope for was one last attack on the two of them. He took a deep breath, getting prepared to take his last shots.

"Raaaaaaaa..." Byleth began to run out.

But right as that happened, something that none of the three contestants expected happened.

**"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"**

A loud shriek pierced all their ears, a somewhat familiar one for that matter.

"What the?!" Lysithea cried out, right before she suddenly got a ball right in her face. "GAH!"

Claude's eyes suddenly darted to the source, and for once, it wasn't something he saw coming. All everyone present could see was a little purple mophead screaming like a banshee and throwing snowballs from a sack with reckless abandon. Bernadetta's eyes were completely shut, as she just yelled and throw whatever she could get her hands on. Nobody was even sure if she knew where she was going. If anything, the sudden scream had them kind of disoriented and wandering what the heck was going on.

"Wait, they really did have an ambush?!" Claude said to himself, dodging what shots actually came close to hitting him. "Or is she just acting on her own?"

"Does it matter?!" Lysithea stood up, her face red after brushing the snow off of it. "Get her!"

"GOAWAYGOAWAYGOAWAYGOAWAYGOAWAY!" Bernadetta cried out.

Was she even hitting them? She wasn't even sure. The adrenaline was pumping through her, pushing her forward despite wondering if she was making a big fool out of herself. Not even the feeling of one of Claude's shots grazing her capped hair made her stop bulling forward. Even as her shots began to lessen thanks to running low on snow, she just went forward, nearly sending both her and Lysithea flailing into the snow.

"Augh, not again!" Lysithea cried out as she was once again sent to the ground along with Bernadetta next to her.

Byleth couldn't believe what had just happened. Did Bernadetta just come out to fight on her own? Hardly the most graceful act but not something he wasn't thankful for. Bernadetta's little desperate act, regardless of what motivated it, just gave him the opportunity to finally fight back. Now was the chance when Claude and Lysithea were temporarily separated. He had his snowballs ready.

"HAH!" Byleth cried out, throwing one snowball in Claude's direction.

"URK!" Claude grunted as he leaned back, just barely dodging Byleth's strike and keeping himself upright.

Regaining his balance, Claude sent the last snowball he had at Byleth. The ball soared straight, heading straight for Byleth as he keeled down just in time to avoid it. With his last ball in hand, and seeing that Lysithea was just about to get up, he had to make it count. He began running towards Claude, who was steadying himself after his last shot. And one big throw, Byleth put everything he had into his one final strike, putting as much force on the ball as possible.

**PLOP!**

Rang the sound as Byleth's last shot nailed Claude in the shoulder, signalling his teams fifth and final hit.

"And that's the game!" echoed the voice of Alois, who had been observing from a safe distance. "Everyone gather around the area near the greenhouse. We shall announce the final results!"

No one would have to worry about not hearing him given how loud it was, but for the time being, his words didn't quite register with the four combatants who just held the final battle of the contest. Byleth and Claude let loose both breaths they were holding, not knowing just how tired they were. Lysithea looked a little out of breath herself, though somewhat indignant. Bernadetta was face first in the snow.

"Bernadetta?" Byleth asked as he walked over, tapping her on the shoulder and helping her up. "Bernie?"

"Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa..." Bernadetta groaned, swirls in her eyes as she seemed really wobbly.

Byleth just smiled to himself. This girl was a real character all right, someone that was a little hard to figure out even in the best of times. Yet, guess there was one thing he could always depend on. She would eventually answer the call, whether she wanted to or not.

"Ha ha ha ha ha," Claude snickered, putting his professor's shoulder. "Well well Teach, guess you had one last surprise up your sleeve after all. Or was that just her on a whim?"

"Does it matter?" Byleth replied with a small smile. "It got the desired result did it not?"

"Heh, indeed," Claude winked before shrugging. "In any case, well played Teach. One way or another, you got me."

Byleth smiled as Claude made some light chatter along the way, while also trying to placate Lysithea who just kept her arms crossed the whole time. All the while, Byleth held Bernadetta steady, the poor girl just mumbling to herself the whole time as if she was in a complete daze.

* * *

"At long last, the first great snowball fight of Garreg Mach has drawn to a close!" announced Alois. "We'd like to thank everyone for their participation!"

All the students had reconvened where the whole thing had started, in the area between the pond and greenhouse. Many of them looked a little worse for wear, though no one looks unsatisfied. In fact, many of them were still gushing about what happened, like Annette and Flayn talking about what they had done with excitement. Dimitri and his friends were all talking about it, except for Felix of course, with the prince getting a bit of heckling for not making it far. That's kind of what happens when Dedue focuses more on just shielding Dimitri than actually attacking.

Ferdinand was no less cranky than before, and he and Hubert were still glaring daggers, though the latter seemed relieved to be back at Edelgard's side all the same. Dorothea was chatting it up with Petra and Caspar, who finally got away from Hilda. Linhardt was barely awake by this point, though that was normal. Leonie was pretty much chatting up all of the original Golden Deer with how her team did.

"We got so close," Leonie proclaimed. "But it was good fun all the same. I'd say Lorenz and I made a better team than I expected."

"Perhaps next time, you'll treat me with better care," Lorenz huffed indignantly.

"Perhaps," Leonie smirked, before looking at Marianne. "Your team lasted pretty long too. I'm happy for you, Marianne."

"Oh...I wasn't much of a help," she said solemnly. "Ferdinand did most of the work."

"He seems to differ," Leonie pointed, seeing Ferdinand looking over, giving Marianne a gentle wave, making the shy girl turn away with a light blush.

Meanwhile, Constance still hadn't calmed down.

"Ugh, getting knocked so early still infuriates me!" she huffed. "We should have gone further."

"And whose fault is that?" shrugged Yuri. "Face it shady lady, you screwed up."

"How dare you!"

Balthus wasn't even going to try diffusing that argument, and Hapi abstained from commenting. She just wanted this over with given how cold she was.

Finally, there was Byleth himself, who was also getting involved with the original Golden Deer members, with Bernadetta still hanging by his side. The girl had gotten her bearings back after a couple of minutes, though she felt like she had completely blanked out during her one-girl crusade a while ago. She was still a little dizzy too, not sure what came over her in the first place.

"You alright?" Byleth asked her.

"I'm okay.." she said slowly. "Just a little woozy...and I think I have snow in places I didn't know I had. I'm freezing."

Truth be told, Byleth felt a little cold as well. With all of the day's festivities, it was approaching dusk. Everyone was looking forward to a nice hot meal in the dining hall after this. But first, of course, everything had to be official.

"I'm happy to say that there wasn't much unsportsmanlike behavior to diffuse, so good job," Catherine announced, though she shot a look at Ferdinand and Hubert. "Well, most of you anyway."

"It was interesting, to say the least. At least you made it entertaining," Shamir actually chuckled a bit.

"And now, without further delay, we should have a round of applause for those who made it the furthest!" Alois continued, getting everyone's attention. "So, in 3rd place, we have Leonie and Lorenz!"

Leonie have everyone a wave as everyone clapped. You'd think Lorenz would soak up the applause, but he just groaned the whole time, probably to the combination of him looking really ragged and how Leonie treated him over the course of the whole event. It was odd to see him so silent, something Claude wasted no time in egging him on, which only served to further disgruntle him.

"Didn't enjoy your time with our resident apprentice?" Claude laughed.

"Still your tongue, Claude," Lorenz snapped back. "It's not something I shall want to experience again..."

Needless to say, all of the Golden Deer got a good laugh out of that. Alois cleared his throat after they had their fun.

"All right then, as for 2nd place," he announced, getting everyone's looks again. "2nd place goes to...Claude and Lysithea!"

Claude put his hand up as he accepted the round of applause for his efforts, playing it up as much as he possibly could. All Lysithea did was huff, probably not enthused about going through all that for a 2nd place finish.

"Hey squirt, we tried," Claude swung an arm around the petite mage. "Take comfort in the fact that it took the Professor himself to beat us."

"Whatever," Lysithea pouted.

"I must say, you did well," nodded Edelgard. "I suppose at this point I shouldn't be surprised that you beat Dimitri and myself. You've already done it twice before."

"Oh my, such praise from the Imperial Princess herself," Claude chuckled. "I may very well faint away."

Edelgard just rolled her eyes, while Dimitri chuckled and offered a handshake to Claude in congratulations. Of course, everyone knew there was one left.

"And now! Without further delay! We have our 1st place winners! The King and Queen of snow itself!" Alois hammed it up for all it was worth. "Our very own...Professor Byleth and Bernadetta!"

Naturally, that got the loudest cheer of all, with many of the students offering congratulations for the two of them. Many weren't surprised that the professor himself lasted the longest, but were happy all the same, though some like Felix just vowed the result would be different if there was a next time, much to Ashe's amusement. Byleth took it in stride, just putting up a hand of thanks for the praise, though Bernadetta just continued hanging on to him, still a little dazed. Granted, hearing all sorts of praise gave her bad recollections of earlier, but at least most of the focus was on Byleth this time.

"I suppose we still have a ways to go to get to your level, Professor," spoke Dimitri.

"I can't take all the credit for it," Byleth shook his head, motioning to Bernadetta. "Bernadetta was the one who kept us hidden all the time."

"I should have known," Edelgard put a hand to her chin. "That would explain how I never saw you once the whole contest."

"Leave it to the person who hides on a daily basis. Smart thinking," laughed Claude.

"Why does everyone have to keep bringing that up?" Bernadetta groaned. Seriously, enough with the hiding comments? I mean, they weren't exactly wrong, but still.

Byleth chuckled a bit, consoling Bernadetta. It was all in good fun in the end. And on that note, Claude took the stage again.

"Well, I'd say this contest was a great success," Claude smiled. "We made the most of this snow day, and learned a thing or two in the process."

"I certainly enjoyed it," said Leonie. "It beats sitting around all day at least."

"I might have been better off inside actually," Ignatz laughed a little. "We didn't do so well."

"Oh, it was great anyway," Raphael slapped his buddy's shoulder. "Plus, now I'm good and hungry."

"You're always hungry, Raphael," giggled Hilda.

"He does have a good point though," nodded Claude. "And with the sun as low as it is now, I think it's a good time for everyone to enjoy a nice dinner in the dining hall. Plus, it's getting cold even for me."

"Yes. Inside is best," Petra spoke up, not any more used to the cold than she was before.

"I could really go for some hot cocoa," Annette smiled dreamily.

There was unanimous agreement that dinner seemed really good right now, especially with how chilly it was getting. Everyone began their walk inside, already full of tales of their runs across the monastery. Byleth enjoyed some conversation with Claude, all the while keeping Bernadetta close.

As many of the faculty went to go join them, Seteth watched them, arms crossed all the while.

"Did the students enjoy themselves?" a womanly voice spoke from behind him.

"Oh, Lady Rhea," Seteth spoke as he turned back to see the Archbishop behind him. "Yes, I believe they did. Flayn seems especially happy she got to indulge in such an activity."

"Haha, that's good to hear," Rhea smiled. "After such horrible news, it's heartening to see them enjoy their youth a little."

"Indeed so," Seteth nodded. "Perhaps I was wrong to worry so much when I delivered the news of no school sessions today."

"Maybe next time you should partake in the festivities yourself," Rhea giggled lightly. "I'm sure Flayn would enjoy it, and our dear professor would find you an intriguing opponent."

"Oh, I don't think anyone wants to see me in a snowball fight," Seteth chuckled lightly. "Haven't done that since Flayn was a child."

It was a nice little bit of reminiscing for Seteth. Perhaps next time he could indulge himself just a litt-

**PLOP!**

"Ah!" Seteth cried out, wiping his hair where snow had suddenly hit him. "Where did that come from?" he asked in Rhea's direction.

"Pardon? I have no idea what you're talking about," Rhea replied innocently.

Seteth groaned as he eventually walked off to move towards the dining hall himself, leaving Rhea to smile and giggle lightly as she rubbed the remaining bits of snow off of her hands.

_Dining Hall_

The dining hall was even more lively than usual, with what every student joined up in conversation and enjoying some warm time away from the cold and wind. Much like after the Battle of the Eagle and Lion, no one was caring at all when exactly they were sitting, certainly not in regards to houses. Many were lounging about, enjoying their hot food and, in some cases, a nice batch of hot chocolate much to Annette's satisfaction.

"Oh yeaaaaaaaaaah!" she sighed as she leaned into her seat. "That hit the spot."

"Tehe! Want some sweets with that too?" Mercedes giggled.

"Oh yes! Please do!" smiled Annette who feverishly took the offering.

Many of the students talked animatedly about what they were trying to do over the course of the contest, with many of the pairs actually talking to each other about it. Ferdinand was able to convince Marianne to actually sit next to him so he could talk about how they did, much to the blue-haired girls surprise. Constance was still ranting about them not doing as well as they should have, to the point where Yuri was starting to wish he could sit with literally anyone else. Edelgard, Hubert, Dorothea, and Petra were all gathered talking about what happened to them, with Hubert back to Edelgard's side as he was probably aching to do the whole time. Hilda admired Leonie for how far she got, to which the self-proclaimed apprentice took it in stride.

"I probably got more experience in it than all of you combined to be honest," she would say.

Byleth certainly enjoyed the chatter, and the warmth for that matter. Claude had much to say on how he found a lot more good sniping spots in the monastery than he initially thought, to which he declared that if there was ever a second round, it'd go a lot differently. On that note though, Byleth wanted Bernadetta next to him, partially just to make sure she was all right after everything she took today.

The girl wasn't talking much, though she looked completely exhausted. From dealing with snow for the first time, to all the activities, getting herself embarrassed (as far as she knew), and hitting her head in her little one-woman suicide run, she was wiped to the point where even being in a large crowd wasn't bugging her as much as usual.

"You okay, Bernie?" Byleth asked.

"I'm better," she replied as she took a bite of her food. "At least all the snow is out of my clothes now, and my head doesn't hurt."

"That's good," nodded Byleth. "I'd hate for you to have a bad impression of today."

"Honestly, it wasn't so bad," Bernadetta smiled a little. "All things considered, I've had worse days. And...snow is pretty beautiful, even though I prefer it to not be on my face."

"Well, we'll have to make sure you don't fall in it again," Byleth chuckled. "Perhaps don't run with your eyes closed next time."

"Hey, it was scary!" Bernadetta cried back. "I thought for sure I was going to get pelted with snowballs once I started running."

"In the end, you didn't, and you won us the contest," Byleth smiled again. "Really Bernie, it's thanks to you we did so well today. I deeply appreciate it."

Bernadetta's face promptly reached a new level of red, something that didn't escape Claude's notice from opposite Byleth, getting him to laugh at the spectacle.

All in all, everyone enjoyed their time, even those who claimed it didn't matter. And as Claude lead everyone in one last cheers over dinner, everyone could appreciate how, for one day, they could act their age.

* * *

With the day finally coming to a close, Bernadetta returned to her room once dinner was finished. Given how she felt after all the activities going today, she felt she well deserved a nice long sleep. Plus she felt assured that she'd sleep better with some better blankets the Church had, just to make sure she didn't freeze during the night. All the same though, she couldn't help but think back on it.

For someone who had never seen snow in person before, it was quite a first experience. Seeing it everywhere, getting involved in many things one might consider childish, working all over the place as a result, and spending just about all of it with her professor. It was quite a ride to be sure, and yet she couldn't say she didn't have some fun with it. It was strange and kind of terrifying in a way, yet oddly comforting in a way.

"Well, in any case, guess I should just head to bed," she yawned, stretching as she was going to get ready for bed soon.

Right as she was about to do so though, she heard a sudden knock on the door, making her jump a bit.

"Bernadetta? It's me," called Byleth's familiar voice. "Mind if I come in?"

Didn't they just go through this same routine this morning? Well better him than anyone else she supposed. Calming herself after wondering who it could be, she walked over and opened the door, revealing Byleth holding two steaming cups with him.

"Hello. Thought you might want some. There was some extra," Byleth smiled a bit. "Everyone else has already had one. I meant to give one to you but you had already run off."

"Oh...yeah, sorry," Bernadetta hung her head a bit before moving aside. "Come on in."

Byleth accepted the offer, coming in as Bernadetta closed the door. He sat down in the extra seat she had, while offering the other cup to her. She nodded and took it gratefully, sitting down on her bed before taking a sip. This all worked out conveniently, since he wanted to check on her one last time to make sure she was alright.

"Ah! Hot chocolate really tastes nice," she hummed a bit at the sudden influx of heat in her mouth.

"Mercedes helped on them, so they should be good," Byleth nodded, taking a bit from his own cup. "You feel you'll be alright tonight?"

"I think I'll be fine. I've got better comforters now. I already feel a lot warmer than this morning," Bernadetta replied, before taking more sips of her drink. "Hmm, this is really good!"

"I thought so as well," Byleth smiled. "Can't think I've partaken much of this before either. Today was really enlightening."

"Mmmhmm, I agree," Bernadetta smiled and nodded. "Today was...surprisingly fun, despite nearly getting buried once and getting put in the spotlight. Still, I never would have thought snow to be so much fun."

"Me as well. I never had the time before to enjoy such pleasantries," Byleth replied before looking outside. "It makes me wonder what else I may have missed from not having a conventional childhood."

"Me neither. Even if home had snow, I probably wouldn't have been able to play in it anyway," Bernadetta sighed. "I'd just been looking at it from inside."

"Well, now we can all say we experienced it," Byleth replied, taking another look outside, where it looked like some more snow was beginning to lightly fall. "Seteth informed me that we might possibly have another free day tomorrow if the snow keeps up."

Bernadetta's eyes widened a bit at the idea of another day such as this. She wasn't sure if she could really take another day of this. One snowball fight was more than enough for her. And as he seemed to do often, Byleth caught on to what she was thinking.

"I think we can take it easy tomorrow if that happens," Byleth said with another sip. "For all the activity, we didn't really get a chance to just take the sights in. I was thinking of perhaps just taking in some of the sights that we didn't get to see. Even Claude will probably be too exhausted from today to do anything strenuous tomorrow."

So, possibly a nice and easier day tomorrow. That sounded much better to Bernadetta's ears. A day where she didn't have to worry as much. Still, to an extent, she felt like taking on any odd situation with be easier with Byleth at her side.

All in all, even as the two of them adjourned for the night, both couldn't help but feel a strong sense of satisfaction. For Byleth, it was getting the chance to enjoy a day with his students, and to be able to spend a day reveling in things most their age would ignore. For Bernadetta, it was actually an experience that was both new, frightening, yet endearing at the same time.

She actually found herself looking forward to seeing more of it tomorrow. Hopefully with less panicking.

The snow was surprisingly fun and rather beautiful. Even more so when being with the one she liked the most.

* * *

**And there you go! Hope you all enjoyed it.**

**I quite liked it. I might do more of these types of extra chapters if anyone else shows interest.**

**In any case, take care everyone! Sentinel07, signing out!**


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